Naruto: Revelations of the Secret Village
by FlexRhysode1
Summary: Rayu Tazamaki is a Chunin in Konoha, but after a devastating event, everything he knows changes. Everything you thought you knew about Naruto will be changed! Read and enjoy! The end is coming quickly...only a few more chapters!
1. Chapter 1: Home

Naruto: Revelation of the Secret Village

I do not own anything except: Rayu Tazamaki and his secret Justu, Sara Kasairoze and her secret Jutsu and anything else marked with an asterisk. (I will only mark it the first time I mention it in the story, so you will not be seeing a whole lot of asterisks.)

I hope you people will read and review this story. It has some romance, action, and it contains spoilers for Naruto. Beware if you read on. (I would prefer if you did read on though. ;) ) So…have fun reading this! Please let me know what I can do to improve the story, etc. Please and thank you! You can post any comments you like. Flames or not. Also…if anyone is interested in finding more spoilers, where I found mine, go to an awesome Naruto Website (that I don't own sadly…but I am a member! WOOOHOOO!)

1: Home

Fifteen-year-old Rayu Tazamaki's slightly tanned skin had a sheen to it, sweat, from his two-hour long workout. His workout consisted of running up trees, running on water, doing handstands, and practicing his Ninjutsu. He was training, keeping his body in tone and in combat-ready shape.

His ice-blue eyes stung, and his golden blonde eyebrows were knitted together in concentration. He brushed his four thick golden bangs, held slightly away from his face by his Leaf Village headband, with his right hand. Black leather gloves that were fingerless covered his hands. Under each of his eyes was a diagonal pink scar that was burning due to the sweat.

He was currently standing on the thinnest branch, roughly 3 inches wide, at the top of a tree. He was standing on one foot, focusing his Chakra into his one foot, making him perfectly balanced on the branch. From his height of 200 feet in the air, he could see the Hidden Leaf Village.

After another twenty minutes on the branch, he was content with his workout. He wiped his sweaty fingers on his red, wide-collared tee shirt. (It looked almost just like the shirt the Genin Sasuke Uchiha wore.) He then opened his Kunai holster that was strapped to his black shorts, grabbed his kunai knife, and threw it as far as he could.

He squinted his eyes as it flew upwards into the cloudless blue sky and towards the sun, and then plummeted down into the forest. He quickly focused his Chakra into the base of his foot, and then he used it to shoot him at a speed close to 70 miles an hour. He flew from branch, straight towards the thrown kunai knife. He skimmed over the tops of other trees, wind whistling in his ears. He stretched out his gloved hand and snatched the kunai from the air as he rocketed towards the Hidden Leaf Village.

As his momentum decreased and his height decreased, he sprang from tree branch to tree branch. He was using his Chakra to shoot him at speeds similar to how fast the Anbu Black Ops could, and he would arrive at the Hidden Leaf Village within a minute or two.

While his body went through the motions and carried him further towards the Village, his mind wandered. He thought about himself, reminding himself of who he was. He had a habit, because he could not remember anything before the age of six. Many people can remember flashes of their childhood, of when they were three years old or so. However, his memory was blank, and he felt that if he did not remind himself of who he was, he would lose himself again into nothingness.

He had heard the tale of how he had been found at least 100 or so times, and he had memorized it after the second time he heard it. He had been found at the age of six, a half-starved scarecrow, wandering the woods around Konoha. However, he had not been alone. He had been wandering with a little girl, one that looked like she was a year or so older than he. His current 'parents' were farmers and found both of them stealing food from the field and tried to give both of them a home, but the girl ran away the first night.

His parents guessed that she had simply wanted to find a safe place for him. They thought she might be his older sister or something and that she had been content that her little brother was safe, so she left. There were no reports around Konoha after that night of a wandering little girl. She had simply disappeared. His parents figured that either she died that night or soon after, which was why there were no reports. In memory of the brave little girl, they built a grave on their property.

Rayu could not remember her at all, and that saddened him greatly. His parents had told him of what she looked like, and he kept that image in his head at all times. They said that while she looked starved and sick, that she looked like a proud and resilient little girl. They described her as a beautiful little girl with long red hair, crystal blue eyes, and despite all the dirt and grime, she had a calm and beautiful face. She had been wearing a torn up shirt and pair of shorts, and did not wear any shoes. Rayu had been wearing a pair of girl sandals that they figured were hers. While Rayu couldn't remember her, he felt a connection with her.

Every day that he was at home, which had not been that often thanks to him being a Chunin and being on a lot of missions, he would go to the grave and pretend that _she_ was listening. He would talk of missions, techniques, friends, secret crushes, and even of friends who had died. When he needed to cry, he would cry next to the gravestone and pretend that she was there in spirit, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. However, he hadn't been home in months thanks to the attack from the Sand and Sound village during the Chunin exams this year.

He had been with a unit that had been meant to track down their enemies, but they had been ambushed. He had been the only surviving member. He had headed the direction that he had thought Konoha and the Hidden Leaf Village were, traveling day and night. However, he trained every day that he traveled to keep his emotions and feelings at bay. If he let a single thought stray, he would break.

Even as his mind hit that thought, he withdrew into himself. He felt his stomach grumble and twist in hunger, and he couldn't wait to get home and eat. He hadn't eaten in five days.

He was almost to his destination when he heard a noise off to his left. He stopped jumping, and crouched on a thick tree branch. He held his kunai in front of him in a ready position and waited. While it could have been nothing, he couldn't take a chance.

The brush wiggled a bit more before falling silent, and all Rayu could hear was his heavy breathing. He calmed his breathing, and then carefully advanced along the treetops, making hardly a noise. He was almost on top of the area that the noise had been coming from, when he heard a faint rustle of a single leaf behind him.

Without thinking about it, his right arm whipped behind him, releasing his Kunai Knife. There was a brief deep-voiced exclamation of surprise and then the sound of his kunai hitting a tree. He turned, fully prepared for combat, hand reaching for his throwing stars. He froze and dropped his hands by his side as he realized what it was.

Standing up against a tree trunk with Rayu's kunai knife just inches from his neck, was an Anbu Black Ops member. This Anbu member had his short sword out, had a bird mask on and black hair sticking out the top of the mask. The Anbu member didn't seem happy, and he ripped Rayu's Kunai out of the tree.

"Who are you?" He demanded, extending his sword straight towards Rayu.

Rayu held his hands up, palms facing the Anbu, and said, "My name is Rayu Tazamaki, Leaf Village Chunin. I was sent out two months ago to track down and capture a few Sand Ninja with my Squad and Jonin Tannith. However, we were ambushed and I was the only survivor. I came back here as soon as I could."

The Anbu member sheathed his sword and handed Rayu his Kunai. "Well, let's get you back home then. Follow me."

The Anbu's posture had relaxed, and Rayu thought he detected sympathy in the man's voice. Still clutching his kunai, Rayu jumped from tree branch to tree branch, following the Anbu. The Anbu addressed Rayu as they rocketed towards Konoha.

"A lot has changed since you've been gone. We found out that Orochimaru tricked the Sand Nation, and now we are at peace. Albeit it's an uneasy peace, it is still peace. We have found a new Hokage, although they were reluctant. Her name is Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin. She is just as good as the previous Hokage's. I'll take you to the hospital and I'll inform Tsunade of your arrival."

Rayu nodded and said, "Actually, I don't need to go to the hospital. I haven't eaten in five days, so I would appreciate it if we could go to a food place."

The Anbu accepted this and said, "Fine. I'll take you to the local Ramen place and we'll have Tsunade come there."

Rayu echoed, "We?"  
The Anbu seemed to chuckle and said, "Look behind you."

Rayu did as he was bid and was shocked to see three more Anbu silently springing from tree to tree. He pretended he wasn't rattled, but he was. The Anbu always had that effect on people.

They broke out of the woods, flying through the air and straight towards the buildings that made up the Hidden Leaf Village. They all landed on the top of a flat roofed house, and the Anbu who Rayu had been following turned to his comrades.

"Alert Tsunade about him. Have her meet us at the local Ramen Restaurant." He gave them the orders, and as soon as he finished, they rocketed off faster than anything Rayu had ever seen.

The Anbu turned, and without glancing back at Rayu, said, "Follow me."

Rayu leapt after the Anbu and after thirty seconds of leaping from building to building, they stopped across the street from the Ramen restaurant. They then jumped down onto the street and walked into the busy Ramen shop.

The bustling Shop seemed to freeze as they noticed the Anbu member walk up to the counter. The man at the counter stuttered, "Y-y-y-yes? How c-c-can I help you?"

The Anbu turned to Rayu and said, "Well?"  
Rayu smiled, and his stomach growled loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear. The man at the counter flinched at the sound.

"Could I please have some chicken flavored Ramen?" Rayu asked politely, remembering his manners.

The man nodded and then paused as the Anbu held up a hand. The Anbu looked Rayu over several times and then turned to the man again. "Make sure that you keep it coming for him. He hasn't eaten in a while." He said, and then walked outside of the shop and disappeared into the crowd.

Everyone slowly went back to his or her meals, and Rayu pulled up a stool at the counter. Almost immediately a bowl of Ramen was set in front of him with his Chopsticks, and Rayu dug into the bowl voraciously. He blissfully thought as he slurped the noodles, _Man…it is good to be home!_

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Well, that is my first chapter. Next Chapter, Tsunade and Rayu talk, and more of Rayu's death defying escape is revealed! (In addition, we will have a guest appearance from everyone's favorite chubby ninja: CHOJI!)

Please Review, Thanks!

FlexRhysode1


	2. Chapter 2: Deadly Ambush, Black Embrace

Okay…this chapter is slightly graphic (nothing gory), but it is a 'disturbing' part. I am warning you right now as a safety precaution. This tells of the Ambush that Rayu survived. It is nothing very graphic, but I am adding this warning just in case. Now…enjoy the rest of the story.

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Chapter 2: Deadly Ambush and the black embrace

Rayu sat contentedly, hands resting on his now full belly, after eight bowls of chicken ramen. He burped, covering his mouth politely, and said to no one in particular, "Excuse me." He was happy to find that his manners were still intact. Giddy from being full for the first time in a month, he giggled.

The man at the counter addressed him saying, "And who exactly is going to be paying for this?"

A soft feminine voice answered before Rayu could. "I will, Genji."

Rayu turned as fast as he could on a full belly, and tried to remember if he had seen her before. Standing before him was a woman who looked like she was twenty and she had blonde hair. She had bangs that parted down the middle, but fairly covered her forehead, and her hair was pulled into two pigtails down her back. She wore a sleeveless, low cut neck, tunic. As he examined her, he suddenly realized who she was. (Mainly because there was a group of ninja surrounding her.)

He stood and executed a clumsy bow. "Madame Hokage!"

Tsunade, the first female Hokage, smiled. "Rayu Tazamaki…please sit." Her face was gentle and calm, instantly putting him at ease.

He did as she was told, and she addressed her escorts. "Please…let us be alone for a while."

They did as they were told and went outside the shop. She then sat next to Rayu and said, "Now…Rayu. I realize that there has been a lot of change around here, and you will struggle to get used to it. However, I am a very busy woman and while I would like to get to know you before we get down to the nitty gritty, I cannot. I apologize if I seem uncaring or rude, but this is important. Please just launch right into it. Start from where you were sent off."

Rayu nodded, liking her immediately. He enjoyed the no-nonsense types. He took a deep breath and began. "First off, Madame Hokage…I apologize if I hesitate or sound mixed up or if I stop for a while. This is the first time I have even given this thought. I…was very close with all of my squad. We were like brothers…and our leader was like a father. So…please bear with me."

Tsunade nodded, a trace of sympathy on her face.

(Flashback)

_Rayu glanced down at the papers, surrounded by his fellow Shinobi. There were Zennith Frinizaki, Draken Tunnanai, Masashi Frinizaki, Kai Atu and the Jonin Leader Tannith Sukara. They were looking at a map, determining the 10 fleeing Sand Ninja's most likely course according to their tracks and well-hidden paths._

_Rayu waited as Tannith outlined the course they would take and said, "Boys…these Sand Ninja are deadly. There is a great chance we will catch up to them today or tonight. Be careful and be ever vigilant for booby traps. Now…follow my lead! We've done well for the past four weeks! Let's keep it up!"_

_Tannith rolled up the map and placed it in a pouch on his back. He then jumped into the trees and the rest of the Shinobi followed him. They kept up a steady pace, breaking every four hours to rest. They were some of the best trackers, and they were making great time, catching up quickly._

_Several times they were able to miss booby traps and, luckily, the few times they did activate a booby trap, no one was injured. It never clicked with them that the booby traps had been small ones…not meant to kill or even maim. They were just to keep giving the trailing Shinobi a feeling of overconfidence._

_They kept up the pace until they were ready to drop with exhaustion, and Rayu knew that they had to rest or they would never be ready to combat the Sand Ninja. He even said so to Tannith._

_Tannith agreed, and at around 1:00 am, they bedded down. They took shifts, and Masashi agreed to go first. Masashi was the youngest, a Chunin at the age of 13. However…he fell asleep on his shift, and that is when everything went wrong._

(Flashback ends)

Rayu stopped, trying to calm his breathing, because in his mind he was reliving the event. He continued his story, his voice shaking. "I was woken up at the sound of a strangled scream, and before I knew it, I was bound and gagged along with the rest of my squad. Everyone…except Masashi. Even though he had fallen asleep, he had woken up right when they tried to kill him. He managed to unleash a Justu and kill one of them before dying and emitting the strangled scream that woke me.

"We were tied up to trees, facing a center tree where Master Tannith was tied up. For the next day…they tortured him. They broke his mind…and he begged them to stop. He begged and begged them to at least take him away so that we wouldn't be near to hear him, but they wouldn't. They made us watch, holding our eyes open and our heads still."

Rayu broke down, unable to control the furious storm of emotions that he had been keeping at bay. He put his head into his hands, and cried. He wasn't aware that the entire restaurant had been listening to his story, and several had started to cry with him. Even the man behind the counter was frozen, a face of horror and pity on his face. Tsunade gently laid a hand on his shoulder and he continued, still crying. He was half-yelling, unable to bring his emotions under control.

"Then…then they made his scream for hours! Hours and hours! He screamed so loud…I couldn't get it out of my head! He finally stopped, and he died. But the last thing he said was 'I am sorry! I love you boys as my sons!'. So then…then they tortured Draken! Then Zennith! And finally Kai! They killed them after another day of torture!"

He was screaming now, screaming to the heavens hoping for his sister to come to him in his hour of greatest need. Tsunade had withdrawn her hand, a look of horror on her face. Rayu was standing, and people from the street were paying attention. Many people were crying…crying for the boy whom they heard screaming his pain to the skies.

He continued his story, red-faced, light-headed and entirely engulfed in his mind by the scenes of each of his friends' torture.

"They killed them all and left them hanging there…on their trees! Not bothering to take down the bodies…letting the birds take care of the corpses! Then…the Nine Sand Ninja…they tortured me!" He took of his shirt, revealing scars on his chest and back. There were several crisscrossed scars on his back, and seven exactly on his chest. The scars weren't fully healed yet, and were partially healed, but you still got the idea. He then emphasized the scar under each of his eyes.

"They tortured me for hours! Then I snapped! I somehow broke their ropes…breaking free! I attacked, never giving them a moment to recover, gouging their eyes, breaking their bodies! I killed them all, until the ground around me was red!" His voice was hoarse, and he was now forced to whisper.

"I took down each of my friends...my squad. I dug each of them a fitting grave. Then, I transported rocks and boulders and used them as headstones. I carved their names on their headstones, and wrote their accomplishments with seven kunai. But…I left the Sand Ninja out to rot in the sun. Only after I gathered _their _bodies, dragged them, and tied them up to trees did I treat my injuries. After three days of rest…I started back on my way here, only stopping to eat when necessary. And now…you know of my story."

He put on his shirt and slumped down into his stool and cried some more, unable to stop. Tsunade embrace him tightly, hugging him and comforting him. There was complete silence outside and inside the restaurant, as people respectfully allowed him to grieve. It stayed that way for near two minutes, until Rayu was able to crush his emotions with his will, trapping them away once more.

Tsunade allowed him to stay leaning on her shoulder until he was sure he could talk without breaking. She patted the back of his head, and she whispered into his ear, "You've been through something that no one should _ever_ have to. I'm so sorry."

Rayu lifted his head from her shoulder, cheeks still wet with tears. He wiped them away, and several people slowly continued their meals, trying not to seem as though they had been eavesdropping. Rayu shook his head in response to her apology. "There is no need for you to apologize. I should be apologizing. I should have controlled my emotions better."

She put her right hand on his left cheek and said, "You've been through an ordeal that hardly anyone has ever been through and remained sane. You should not apologize…it is better to get it all out of you before you do go insane. Thank you for your time."

Rayu nodded and said, "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to see me."

She smiled softly and then replied, "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask for it. And…If you wish, I can help those scars heal faster."

Her offer was kind, and he smiled. "I would like that…but I feel that I should let these scars heal properly and on their own time." He was not just referring to his physical scars when he said that. He was sure that when his outside scars healed, so would his internal scars. They would always be apart of him, but they would be healed.

Tsunade seemed to understand the meaning and said, "Well, if you heal faster than you thought and you'd like to get rid of the external ones…let me know."

Rayu nodded and stood as she did. She set down some money on the counter, paying for Rayu's meal. She walked out the door, turning at the last moment and saying, "I'll see you soon. Go home and get some well deserved rest."

Rayu nodded and smiled, feeling a bit freer after that brief exposure to his emotions. He sat down after she left, her ninja escorts surrounding her. As he sat down, aware that people were staring at him with pity in their gazes, he shook his head. He had been foolish not to control his emotions in a public place, but at the same time, it had felt so good.

He was lost in his thoughts for a few moments before he was pulled out of them by someone sitting next to him. He turned and was surprised to see a ninja, of the Akimichi clan of all things, smiling at him. The Akimichi ninja was chomping happily on a bag of chips and said to Genji, "Please…I'll have my regular!"

The man nodded, and went into a back room to prepare the Ninja's meal. The ninja had brown spiked hair that was parted down the middle by his headband, a chubby but kind face with a red swirl on each cheek. He wore a white scarf that covered his neck, and half covered his green coat that in turn, partly covered the Akimichi clan symbol on his tee shirt. His forearms were covered in bandages all the way to his fingertips, which were occupied holding a chip. He wore black shorts and what was left of his legs was covered by bandage wrappings. He was an overall happy looking Ninja, not to mention a little chubby.

Rayu extended a hand in greeting and said, "Hi. I'm Chunin Rayu Tazamaki."

The chubby Akimichi ninja quickly gulped down a chip, and then extended his empty hand and shook Rayu's. "Nice to meet you. I'm Chunin Choji Akimichi!"

Rayu smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you too, Choji. So... how long have you been a Chunin?"

Choji did a quick calculation and said, "Well…roughly about a month and a half."

Rayu did a double take. "So you were apart of the Chunin Exam?"

Choji nodded and said, "Yeah…but I lost. But, along with a few others, Tsunade promoted me to Chunin."

His chest puffed out in pride at being selected by the Hokage herself to become Chunin. Rayu smiled, instantly liking Choji. Suddenly, twelve bowls of Ramen were dropped in front of Choji.

Choji thanked Genji, who was sweating from carrying the twelve bowls, and then turned to Rayu. "Excuse me. I'll be done in a moment."

Rayu gave him a questioning look. "Moment?"

He understood as soon as Choji picked up the Chopsticks. Within two minutes tops, all twelve bowls were empty. Choji slurped up the last moment, oblivious to the fact that Rayu was frozen in shock. Rayu had heard that the Akimichi clan members were known for their enormous appetites, but to him, this was ridiculous.

Choji noticed Rayu's reaction and laughed. "Yeah…I have that effect on people."

Choji dropped the proper amount of money on the counter and then got off his stool. He grabbed his uneaten bag of chips and started to munch on them again. He waved goodbye to Rayu and said, "Well…that was a good snack! I will see you around! I hope we get to work together!"

It took about five minutes to snap out of his shock. He muttered to himself, "Wow…that was sooooo weird."

He wearily stood up and wearily exited the restaurant. He wandered, emotionally drained, eventually to the outskirts of Konoha. His mind was reeling, not just from the strange encounter with the Akimichi ninja, but because his body was finally having the toll of his entire ordeal hit him. His feet walked while his mind was separated from his body.

He soon found himself at his parent's house, the Tazamaki Farm. He stumbled up onto the porch, vaguely aware that it was around dinnertime and that it was dark. He knocked on the screen door, and almost immediately was greeted by his father's face.

His father realized who it was, and his face paled. He called his wife, slamming open the screen door, and catching Rayu as he collapsed. Rayu's mother cried as she saw her son, pale and worn, collapsed in her husband's arms.

Rayu managed to say, "I…I love you. I'm fine…I just need to rest…"

Then, he passed out, exhaustion winning over his will. His father quickly made sure that his son was breathing before he carried Rayu over to his old room. He told his wife to bring their medical kit as he prepared to see what kind of injuries Rayu had received.

He quickly undressed his son, and he gasped as he saw the scars. As soon as Rayu's mother saw the extent of the injuries, she immediately broke down into tears. Rayu's father treated the wounds immediately, and all throughout the night his parents vigilantly cared for him. Rayu lapsed in and out of consciousness.

One thing that stuck in his mind through one of his brief moments of consciousness was that when he awoke, he saw a girl in the doorway to his lighted room. She had beautiful red hair, crystal blue eyes, and she looked exactly like what he would have imagined his sister looking like if she was grown up. He wept in sadness, and in joy at seeing his sister, even if she was just a phantom. He cried out, while his father tried to hold him down, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry I left you alone for so long, sister! I love you…but please…don't leave me!"

After that brief outbreak, had he stayed conscious, he would have seen his mother grab the girl by her shoulders, and guide her out of the room. He would have seen the girl cry, and his mother hold her close. But, he was oblivious, lost in the black embrace of the void.

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Well, that's chapter 2! Tell me what you think of it! You can have unconstructive and constructive criticism. I just enjoy writing these stories, so let me know what I can do to make it better! Thanks!

FlexRhysode1


	3. Chapter 3: Back from the Dead

Chapter 3: back from the dead

Rayu rose out of unconsciousness like one would swim for the surface of a lake from underwater. He was half dreaming, but his mind was struggling to surface back to the real world. The first sense that he regained control of was his hearing.

He could hear a gentle breeze rustle through trees and he could hear the sound of a hoe hitting the soft soil and hacking at plants. That is when his next sense kicked in. He could smell the fresh covers, a mint balm, and the sweet smell of a meal being prepared.

He then tasted his dry mouth and bitter taste of his morning breath. He smacked his lips, grimacing at the disgusting dryness of his mouth. Then, finally, he opened his eyes.

Bright sunlight blinded him, causing him to quickly seal his eyes shut. He groaned and thought, _ouch…take it slow._

He gently and slowly opened his eyes, allowing his eyes to grow accustomed to the light. When he could fully open his eyes, he examined his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was.

He was lying on a thick-mattress bed, covered in pure white sheets. The bed was against the far right wall, and a window was directly above his head. Bare tan walls greeted his eyes, and a dresser with a few photos was off to his left. He looked at the photos, and smiled. They were of him, doing various activities with his father and mother.

Straight past his feet, around twenty to thirty feet away, was a closet, and then ten feet away from the closet was an open door. He threw off the covers and sat up, legs dangling off his bed. He wearily shook his head, and placed a hand on he uncovered forehead.

He stood, realizing where he was and what had happened. He looked at the dresser closer and saw his headband on the top, glinting the sunlight. He quickly looked at the sun and judged by its position that it was around one or two o'clock. He grabbed the headband and tied it onto his forehead with almost a religious fervor. As soon as it was secured tightly to his head, he held his chin up, and felt once again like nothing could stop him.

He walked over to the open door, and shut it. On the side of the door facing him was a mirror, and he wanted to see how he looked. He was barefoot and had nothing on besides his headband, underwear, and sleeping boxers. He had a bandage wrap around his back and chest, half making him look like a mummy, and then he had small bandages under his eyes that covered the other scars. He smiled, realizing that despite the bandages, he looked fine. He had burned off all the fat that he once had, which hadn't been very much anyway, and he now had lean and well-defined muscles.

Content, he walked over to his closet and opened it. What stood before him made him smile. His clothes that he had worn out on his way back home were repaired and perfectly clean and still held their color. He quickly changed into clean undergarments and then donned his red shirt and his black shorts. His kunai holster was not attached to his shorts, but hung next to them on a hangar. He quickly picked it up and then reattached it to his right thigh. He then realized there was something in his shorts pockets. He reached down, removed the object from his pockets, and smiled as he saw it was his black leather gloves. He quickly slipped them on, and then shut the closet sliding door.

He then opened his bedroom door and walked out of his room, relishing the feeling of being safe and secure at home. As soon as he had stepped out of his room, he was in the living room, which in turn had a small half-wall to the left of him to separate the kitchen and the living room. They had two couches in the middle of the living room, a fireplace against the wall to his right, a fuzzy carpet for the living room, and a family picture hanging above the fireplace. He clenched his toes, feeling the carpet between them.

He sighed and then walked over to the kitchen. He noticed a blanket and a pillow on one of the couches, wondered who slept there, and then continued on his way to the kitchen. It was a moderately small kitchen, big enough to fit one or two people to prepare food. Standing next to a stove with a now finished batch of rice and vegetables, was his mother.

He smiled, leaned up against the half-wall, and examined her. He hadn't seen her in two months or so, and he missed her terribly. She was around 5'7" (4 inches shorter than Rayu), had black hair pulled back into a bun, and wore an apron over an old grey dress used for working. She was only 32 years old, but because she was outside most of the time with her husband, she looked like she was in her 40's. However, she was still a beautiful woman with a calm and gentle face and green eyes that calmed you down no matter what your ailment.

He coughed, causing her to whirl around, and see her son leaning against the wall. He smiled and said, "Hey mom. I missed you."

She smiled, tears springing to her eyes. She put down the meal that was being prepared and ran at him. She embraced him in a bear hug, popping his back and causing him to laugh. He hugged her back, and they stood like that for a little while, with her trying to regain her composure. When she did, she backed off a foot or two, wiped away her tears and looked him up and down. "Are you hungry? You've been asleep for two days."

He nodded. "I am hungry, but let me help dad out in the field so we can have a family lunch."

She smiled. "Okay. Make sure to clean up. Your shoes are by the door."

He walked away, found his blue sandal/boots, and slipped them on. He then opened the screen door and saw his father out in the field in front of their house, whistling merrily and hacking at the plants. His father was working with bib-overalls, sandals, and a wide brimmed straw hat that provided shade for his face and shoulders. His tan skin was glistening with sweat, and he stopped whistling as soon as he realized someone was watching him.

He turned towards Rayu, smiling. Rayu's father was not one to get all emotional, so he simply said, "G'morning sleeping beauty. There are more hoes in the shed. You know where to find them."

Rayu nodded happily and went to the shed. He opened the wooden shed door and found a big supply of tools. An idea struck him, and he smiled. He wrapped his arms around a pile of 35 hoes, and managed to carry them over to the front yard. His father gave him a strange look and said, "What are you doing? You only need one, unless you plan on breaking one right after another."

Rayu smiled and said, "Well, I learned another ninja art. One that allows me to…do more things quickly. Want to see?"

His father smiled in joy. He had always loved to see the ninja arts. He nodded like a happy little boy and said, "Please…show me."

Rayu nodded, and spread his legs a little. He then folded all the fingers on both hands, except for his first and middle fingers. He then held them up and intercrossed his fingers, making a cross. He focused his Chakra and yelled, "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" (Shadow Clone Jutsu) With a puff of smoke, Rayu's Justu activated.

When the smoke cleared, standing with a hoe in hand, were 35 Rayu's. The real Rayu waved his hand and said, "There! These Shadow Clones will allow us to be done faster! Let's go guys!"

All 35 Rayu's ran over to the field, hacking away like crazy. Rayu's father was just smiling like a giddy little boy while the Shadow clones and Rayu did all the work. They finished in about six minutes flat.

All the Rayu's leaned on their hoes, already sweating. "So…mom says it's time for lunch. Are you ready?"

The dazed man nodded and said, "Can you get rid of them?"

Rayu smiled and nodded. He did the exact same pose as he had to initiate his Jutsu, and with a puff of smoke, each clone disappeared, leaving only Rayu, his father, and a pile of hoes. The father nodded in joy and motioned for Rayu to follow him.

They both took off their shoes before entering the house and then went to wash up. Rayu smiled while he thought, _nothing can make this day better. I am home, back where I belong._

Rayu was held by both of his parents, one on each side of him, in a hug. They had finished eating and had sat on a couch, asking what happened to Rayu. Rayu had told them the exact same thing he had told Tsunade when she had asked him, but this time he had a firmer grip on his emotions and was able to speak without breaking.

His mother and father were both crying, holding their baby boy. His father was the first one to say anything. He cleared his throat, dried his eyes, and said, "Well…there's something that we need to tell you that's rather important."

Rayu felt his will weakening, threatening to unleash his emotions. He stood, not wanting his parents to see him in that kind of state. He said, "I want to hear it…but I think I need some time to be alone right now. Please…I'm sorry…I have to go. I'll be back!"

He ran out of the house, feeling the tears escaping his eyes. He ran out of the house, barefoot, and ran into the back yard. In the back yard, in the middle of their woods, they had his sister's grave. He ran to it, hoping for the same comfort he had used to receive when he spoke to his sister. He ran, through the woods to the little clearing and then collapsed to his knees, shoulders heaving.

He was kneeling face down in front of the headstone, crying. He said between sobs, "I….I'm sorry I left you…alone…for so long!"

He sobbed, face in his hands. He felt a little calm and comfort at apologizing to his sister, and continued. He spilled his heart to her, telling her of his torture and his escape. He went into detail, how he felt, during his friends' last moments, how he killed the Sand Ninja, and how he buried his friends and made them grave markers.

It took around thirty minutes for his tale to be complete, and finally, he said, "I wanted to thank you. Thank you for everything you did for me…and thank you for watching over me that night I came home. You have become beautiful…" He felt that it was necessary to compliment her, even though he felt silly saying these things to a gravestone.

Then, to his amazement and wonder, he heard a gentle sob. He looked around and said, "Sister? Is that you?"

He stood, looking up, down, and all around him, hoping for a clue. He heard the sobbing continue, and he calmed his heart. He closed his eyes, and used his ears to help pick out where the sound was coming from. He heard it coming from very high up in the trees. He snapped open his eyes and said, "I'm coming sister…"

He snapped open his kunai holster, grabbed his kunai and then a couple throwing stars, and then closed the holsters. He then focused his Chakra into the soles of his feet and ran at the closest tree. The Chakra caused his feet to stick to the surface of the tree, and he ran up the trunk of the tree for about ten feet before throwing his kunai into a tree not very far from him.

He jumped from the trunk of the tree, soared through the air, landed on the kunai (which hurt because he was barefoot), and used it like a spring board to jump even higher. He threw one of his three throwing stars into the trunk of the tree in front of him, and despite it cutting his foot; he jumped from it until he felt that he was close to the sound. He threw his remaining two shuriken (throwing stars) into a fork of a tree branch. He then landed on the kunai, legs spread almost in the splits. He focused his senses, looking and listening for any hints of where the noise could be coming from.

Had he looked down, he would have realized that he was 250 feet in the air above his sister's grave. He examined further up, looking for branches thick enough that could hold someone without causing strain. He saw only one, and he knew that the noise had to be coming from there. He focused his Chakra once more into his feet and used it to shoot him from the throwing stars and towards the thick branch. He estimated that it would be able to hold him, and that if necessary, it would be thick enough to fight on.

He hurtled through the air, flying at a speed of 70 miles an hour, and within two seconds, he reached the branch. He landed on the branch gracefully, using the Chakra in his feet to keep him from toppling over. What he saw…made him freeze. He wasn't even aware that the soles of his feet were bleeding from the throwing stars digging into his feet.

The same girl he saw just two nights ago, who he assumed was his sister, was sitting at the base of the branch. She had her knees drawn up tight to her chest with her arms wrapped around her knees, and she had her forehead resting on her knees. She had long red hair that came down to the small of her back with bangs that covered her forehead, milky white skin, and while he couldn't see her face he was certain she was beautiful.

She was wearing a short sleeved dress that came down to her knees, but had a slit from her hips to the bottom of the dress (It was just like Sakura's except instead of it being red and white it was blue and silver.). She had a skin-fitting blue shorts that came down to mid-thigh that still made her seem modest, and she wore simple tan sandals. He saw that she was wearing silver nail polish, and he was aware of a faint flower-like smell coming from her.

She had apparently not heard him land on the tree, because she didn't look up. He stood there until she finally looked up, eyes red from crying. His breath was taken away by her beauty. She had a slim and gentle face, soft pink lips, and dark blue eyes that had pale blue around her pupils.

She gasped as she saw him standing there, and put her hand to her mouth. He asked, "Who are you? You are not the ghost of my sister…that's for sure."

Her eyes grew wide and she stammered out, "Y-y-you…you know me."

Rayu searched his memory, but didn't come up with anyone that looked like her. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you. I don't remember you."

More tears escaped her beautiful eyes, and she said, "Yes you do. Just not in the way you think."

He cocked his head, confused, at her words. She stood, and that's when he noticed that she had a Hidden Leaf Village headband tied into her hair at the top of her head. (Like Sakura's.) He thought even harder, trying to recall her from the academy, a mission, or anything. Once again, he came up with nothing.

He shook his head and said again, "I'm sorry. I really don't remember you. Maybe if you could refresh my memory…"

She smiled, and walked to the edge of the branch. She looked at him over her shoulder and said, "Thank you for your compliment down there." At that, she pointed at his sisters grave 305 feet below them. "Thank you for saying I'm beautiful." With that, she jumped off the tree, and used the same approach that Rayu did. She threw kunai knives and throwing stars into trees and used them as footholds to go lower and lower to the ground.

He growled angrily. How could this girl mock his dead sister, saying that he was calling _her_ beautiful when he had been addressing his sister! How dare she! He jumped after her, rage building up inside of him. He ignored the pain from his feet while he jumped, and tried to keep from sliding off the trees and weapons due to the blood coming from his feet.

He gave up on chasing her using her approach and decided to do something easier. He launched off a branch with an explosive amount of Chakra and ended up flying out of the woods ahead of the girl. He then initiated his 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu', and used 150 clones to cushion him as he fell to earth.

When he hit the ground, the clones disappeared in a puff of smoke, lessening the impact enough to leave him only slightly dazed and not injured. He quickly pulled out four throwing stars from his holster and held them tightly in his hand. The girl came out of the woods, and a look of shock passed over her face as she saw him standing ready for her.

He threw two throwing stars, and then a split second later, threw the other two. She managed to dodge all four, though he almost managed to pin her to a tree. She flew at him, a look of sadness and almost what he thought was like a feeling of betrayal on her face.

She initiated a jutsu, and two more of her appeared as she flew towards him. He recognized the genjutsu (illusionary) technique as a technique similar to the Shadow clone skill except: The clones were meant only to confuse you and weren't solid. They were simply an illusion meant to confuse you about where the real attacker is.

He smiled and shook his head. He quickly initiated his Shadow Clone skill, only making two more of him appear. All three of him then attacked the three girls. He flew through one of the illusions, as did one of his clones, but the other managed to grab the real girl. Rayu jumped up and ran over to the captured girl. He gently grabbed her by her shoulders, not really wanting to hurt her, and said, "Now…tell me who you are. I don't want to hurt you, and I won't. I just want to know…who you are and why you mocked me."

She turned her eyes away, towards the back door of the house. He glanced up and saw his parents standing there in shock. He then realized that what he was doing didn't look good. He quickly stood, disengaged his Shadow Clones, and said, "It's not what it looks like. I found her in the woods, crying. I wanted to see if I could help, but then she mocked me for calling my sister beautiful."

His parents' looks changed from surprise to partial understanding and part confusion. His mother asked, "Why did you tell the gravestone that it was beautiful?

He ducked his head, embarrassed. "I wasn't talking to the headstone, mother. You see, the night that I came home, I woke up while you guys were taking care of me. I saw my sister, all grown up, watching over me. I admit, I didn't get a really good look at her, but she looked exactly what I thought she would have looked like if she had ever grown up into a beautiful young woman."

He didn't know why, but the girl stood and bowed her head. She didn't try to run or to speak. He did notice however, that her face was flushed red. His mother and father sighed, and his father said, "Maybe you should come inside and listen to what we were trying to tell you before you ran out."

Rayu nodded, still embarrassed. The girl followed, and he was about to point this out to his parents when his mother said, "Sarah…please come in here with us."

Rayu flushed an even deeper red, embarrassed. He was about to walk onto the carpet in the living room, but then he remembered his wounded feet. He winced as the pain rolled in as if on cue. Everyone sat down on the couches, except for him. He stayed away from the carpet and said, "Can you get the Medical kit please?"

His father stood, and then he realized that there was blood pooling under Rayu's feet. He ran and grabbed the Medical Kit from the bathroom, and returned in a moment. "What did you do?" He cried, and made Rayu sit down on the wood floor. He then turned to his wife and said, "Get a wet rag please. We need to get this cleaned up."

She did as he said, bringing a wet rag and handing it to him. Sara stood in the background, eyes wide as the blood was cleaned away so that it revealed cuts deep in his feet from landing on the throwing stars. Rayu finally answered his father between yelps of pain as his father cleaned and dressed the wounds.

"I heard her…Sarah…crying. OW! I thought it might have been my sister, and being the idiot I am, OW, I tried to get to her as fast as I could without bothering to protect my feet from the shuriken's sharp edges. OUCH! I must have cut my feet trying to get to her. Then when she ran away from me, she had shoes on, so she used the same approach I did. OWOWOW! She threw shuriken into the trees and used them as footholds, so I followed. I got cut up pretty good didn't I? OW!"

Rayu's father finished bandaging his feet, and then carried Rayu over to a couch. Rayu's mother cleaned up the blood on the floors, and when they were all done, they sat on the couches. Rayu and his father sat on one couch while Rayu's mother and Sarah sat on the other, both couches facing each other.

Rayu's father talked first. "Rayu…this is going to be difficult for you, but please try to keep an open mind. I'll let your mother explain."

His mother laughed, saying, "Gee, thanks hon. Take the easy part why don't you?"

Rayu tried not to laugh, but he just couldn't manage to keep it in. It was a small laugh, but it was still a laugh, which had been his mother's intention. She smiled and said, "There's the smile. Now. It all started three days after you left for the Academy two months ago. I would say it was about the time when you left for your mission. When…" She paused, trying not to dwell on the details of Rayu's mission…where he had been so grievously wounded. She recollected herself and continued.

"Well, we found Sarah here out in the field, walking towards the house. We noticed immediately she was a ninja, so we thought that she was delivering some kind of bad news about you since that is all the visiting Ninja do. However, as soon as we met her, we found out that was not the case. She came to apologize. Imagine that!"

Rayu was trying to figure out where this was going, and he figured he must have had a confused look on his face because his mother continued quickly.

"She came to apologize for trying to steal our crops…nine years ago." She said, and did not continue. She waited for the meaning of what she just said to sink in. Rayu took his current age, 15, and subtracted 9 from it. His eyes widened and he looked at Sarah. Nine years ago…he head been six years old. At the age of six, he had been found with his sister in his parent's crop field trying to steal some food.

He looked at the floor, trying to make sense of this. His mother continued, knowing he got the point. "She came to find _you_. She came to find out what had happened to you, if you became a farmer or a Ninja or if somehow you had died. We had her come inside for some tea and she told us her story."

Rayu looked up from the floor at his mother, tears in his eyes. "So…in a way, my sister is back from the dead."

Sarah spoke up, hesitant and quiet. "In a way…yes, but at the same time, no."

Rayu's face changed from happiness and hope to confusion. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

Sarah took a deep breath and said, "I'm not your sister, Rayu Tazamaki. My name is Sarah Kasairoze, daughter of Kaya and Kim Kasairoze." Tears streamed from her eyes as she said this, and Rayu's tears rolled down his face. _So I never had a sister…I was an only child_. He thought, and his father put a comforting arm on his shoulder.

Sarah sniffed back the tears and said, "I may not have been your sister but I…I did my best to keep you alive."

Rayu realized that she didn't have to be his sister in order for him to be thankful for her saving him. He laughed at his stupidity and stood. He winced as he hobbled over to her and said, "Well, Sarah Kasairoze, thank you for your sacrifices to keep me alive."

With that, he clumsily sat between his mother and Sarah, and hugged Sarah tightly. Sarah tensed up, surprised at this reaction, and Rayu was about to pull away so as not to cause her discomfort. However, she then embraced him back, resting her arms on his shoulders and her head on his neck.

She whispered, "Your welcome, Rayu." Suddenly, something that had meant to be an innocent 'thank you' woke something in Rayu. He blushed, feeling her skin on his and her breath on his neck.

He coughed, pulled back and then said, "So…how did you find me?"

Sarah smiled and said, "Well, that's a long story."

Rayu returned the smile and replied, "I can't wait to hear it."

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Sorry this chapter ran a little long! I was having difficulty deciding where to end! Grrrr….I didn't include everything I wanted, but I got enough in there. Okay…next chapter: You get to hear how Sarah survived and how she found Rayu! Also…Rayu feels attracted towards Sarah and tries to tell her…what will happen? Please review the chapter, folks!

FlexRhysode1


	4. Chapter 4: Sarah's Story

Warning: just to be safe, there is a 'disturbing' or 'gross' part in here. It's not even as graphic as in Chapter 2, but again, just to be safe!

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Chapter 4: Sarah's story

Sarah and Rayu were walking in the backyard, given some privacy by Rayu's 'Parents'. Rayu's parents had objected to him trying to walk since he had just cut up his feet, but Rayu said that it was not as bad as it looked. Rayu had slipped on his sandal/boots and walked outside with Sarah.

They walked in silence until they reached Sarah's supposed 'grave'. This put a sober mood on the situation, and they stood in front of the headstone, silent. Rayu knew this had to be difficult for her, so he kept his tongue in his mouth, and did not rush her. He was calm, patient, and fully prepared to wait however long it took to hear her side of the story.

Eventually, Sarah half-whispered, "Rayu…you don't remember anything…do you?"

Rayu shook his head and replied, "No. I cannot remember anything before...well I'm not sure how far back my memory goes. I only know that my first memory is of my father teaching me how to first swing a hoe. It's a small memory, but it's still the first one I have."

Sarah nodded and said, "I can't tell you everything yet…I'll tell you as much as possible, but not everything. Some things are just too hard and dangerous to tell you about."

Rayu accepted this and said, "I'll take whatever you can give me."

She smiled and said, "Okay…the part I can't tell you yet…is where we came from. It's just too emotional for me. So…this may create more questions than it answers."

Rayu nodded again. She turned to him, a sad look in her eyes. "Would you sit on this side of the headstone? I don't think I could say some of these things to your face."

Rayu sat down on the side of the tombstone facing the house, and Sarah sat on the other side of the tombstone. _She must have gone through some terrible situations. _He thought.

Her voice was soft and sad as she began the story.

"There was an…event that happened 9 and a half years ago. An event that destroyed a lot of families, yours and mine included. Now, while I can't tell you a whole lot about our families, I can tell you that you were the son of a very important man, and I was the daughter of his closest friend.

"We were promised to each other after you were born. At that time, I was a year old. I didn't fully understand it even when I was seven years old. When the horrible event happened, it was nighttime, and it was very silent. So quiet, that I woke up, feeling like something bad was going to happen. I don't know why, but I ran across the street to your house after I woke my parents up. I woke up your father telling him that something was wrong…and he took me so seriously. He told our mothers to take us and run into the woods, and run for safety. Apparently, he had a bad feeling too.

"Then…while we were deep in the woods, the event happened. The earth was shaking, we heard cries and screams…but we kept running. Our mothers told us to stay where we were, and they handed me a compass. They said that if they didn't come back…then we were supposed to run directly south until we ran into a village and that it was my duty to protect you.

"Our mothers ran back to see what was happening, and after hours and hours of waiting, they never came back. So, you and I ran south. We cried for almost an entire day while we ran as fast as our legs could carry us. I had been trained in wilderness survival, just as you were, so we knew what to do.

"We traveled for months and months, eating hardly anything. We slept whenever we could find a safe place, and we constantly had to be on the watch for wild animals. I had often tried mainly to save myself, thinking that you could look out for yourself…but something happened that changed my view.

"One night, about a month before the end of our trip, we stumbled on an old empty shack. We slept there and stayed there for a while, because there had been food stored there. It wasn't much, but it kept us from starving.

"Now…one night, I woke up bound and gagged next to you, in front of an old man. He was maybe forty or so, and he was angry with us for eating his food and staying in his house. He planned to hurt us and punish us. He tried to hurt me first. He tried to…to have his way with me." Sarah suddenly stopped, and Rayu understood why she didn't want to face him when she was telling him her story. Sarah was crying softly, but managed to continue.

"I don't know how you managed it…but right as he was about to hurt me, you seemed to wake up. He had said that he had drugged you so that you wouldn't wake up, but you did wake up. You somehow managed to wiggle free of the ropes, rip off your gag, and attack the old man. You had taken a loose board that hadn't been that far from you, and you beat the old man senseless." She half giggled, and Rayu let out a chuckle. He could imagine a six year old him going crazy, whacking a 40-year-old man over the head with a floorboard until the old man cried and begged for forgiveness.

"My clothes had been ruined, and so you gave me yours. You grabbed some old clothes that the man had and you ripped them up enough that they fit you. The old man woke up again, and managed to ask, 'What'd you do that for?' before you beat him senseless again. You turned to me, looking so brave and serious and said to me, 'Nobody will ever hurt you when I'm around. Nobody hurts my future wife.'"

Rayu blushed a deep red and, even though he couldn't see her face, he guessed she was too. She managed to continue, after awkwardly clearing her throat. "So…that's when my whole outlook changed. I realized that in the past months, it hadn't been me looking after myself; it had been you always looking out for me. You had always cut back your portions of food so I could have some, you always made sure that ways were safe, you always got me into trees or safe places first whenever there was a dangerous animal around, and you always made sure that I was never cold. I realized that if you were willing to risk so much for me, then I should be willing to do the same."

"So…after that, we both looked out for each other, keeping each other safe, warm, clothed, and fed. The day before I left you with your new 'parents', you stepped on a glass shard, because you were going shoe-less while I had sandals, and cut your foot really bad. We did the best we could to bandage it up and I let you wear my sandals. We took turns with whoever wore the sandals, and the day that your 'parents' found you, it was your turn.

"I thought I couldn't stay with you, because I thought that I would burden the farmers too much, and at the same time, I wanted to just go away and die. I felt like I was sick…so sick that any moment my strength would leave me and I would collapse. So I left you with my sandals to let you have something to remember me by, and I left you there, not wanting you to see me die. I traveled for maybe an hour or two before I collapsed and passed out."

"I was found by a couple who lived in the city, who wanted a kid but couldn't have one. They found me, helped me get better, and let me be their child. I always wondered what happened to you, even after I was enrolled at the Ninja Academy. I never found out what happened to you, even though I looked for any mention of you. So finally, two months ago, after the attack by the Sand and Sound villages I went to find you. I was desperate to find whether you had become a farmer or a ninja. Whether you were safe, or if you were dead. So I found my way back here, and I told your parents everything.

"They told me what became of you, telling me you were on a mission. They let me stay here, in your room, until you came back. And then that night that you came back…we were eating dinner, and I was saying that if you did not come back by the next day, I would just go back to the city. Then, you knocked on the screen door, and we put you back in your room to try to take care of you. When your father, mother, and I saw the scars…I…" Sarah cried once more, taking a full five minutes before being able to contain herself.

"I thought that you were dying. The next day, my mother came to see me, and we went into the city until I came back earlier today to see if you were okay. I was up in the trees, nervously trying to decide what to say, when I heard you come here. Then…then I heard you crying. I heard you telling me, in a sense, what happened to you on that mission. All the horrible things that happened to you…and that is when I started to cry. And then…you heard me.

"But one thing that you said kept coming back to me…and that's why I was crying."

She paused, and Rayu thought he knew what she was talking about.

(Flashback)

_Sarah listened, heartbroken, as she heard Rayu spilling his heart to an empty grave. She heard of his best friends, his leader, and that fateful ambush. As he was describing what the horrible Sand Ninja did to his Leader and his Friends, he screamed out, "WHERE WERE YOU? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? WHY…WHY WEREN'T YOU THERE FOR ME?"_

_At the sound of his voice raised to it's loudest level, a shiver was sent down her spine. The utter despair and pain in his voice hurt her more than any physical or psychological pain she had ever experienced before. She heard the boy that she had been there for when he was so young, cry out that she had abandoned him. It was the truth. She _had_ abandoned him, and now…now he was suffering because of it._

_He let out a scream, torn from his belly, which sent birds flying and made her blood run cold. She cried into her knees, trying to muffle the sounds she made. The boy she had thought about at night, during her studies, dreamed about, was in pain and there was nothing she could do about it. The boy who had meant so much to her that she turned down every boy who professed his love for her, was in complete despair._

_Finally, he ended in a hoarse voice. She could not hear it all, but she caught, "I wanted to thank you. Even though it seemed you abandoned me, you didn't…" she heard softer words, and then in a whisper that sent her heart soaring, he said, "You have become beautiful"._

_Her heart raced as she thought, _he saw me? He really saw me and he thinks I'm beautiful?

_Then she realized…he thinks he's talking to a _sister_…not the real her. That realization hit her hard, and she started to sob again._

(End Flashback)

Rayu took a deep breath, and said, "I am glad that you left that night…really. Even if it caused a couple of minor problems, at least you're happy with your family."

Sarah realized that she had given away a bit more than she intended to…revealing the fact that they had been promised to each other. She felt her skin heat up in embarrassment, thinking of a way to address that problem.

She didn't expect him to hold to his father's promise…especially since it had been made in a time that he couldn't remember. But…especially since he didn't remember her. She was so intent on trying to think of a way to diffuse that situation, she didn't realize that he stood up and walked around to her side of the gravestone.

He coughed, and she looked up sheepishly. "Sorry. I got lost in thought there…" She was about to say more when she noticed that he looked uncomfortable and like he was about to say something.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He cleared his throat in frustration and managed to speak. "Sarah…let me get this out in the open here before I chicken out."

She nodded, felt the heat rise to her face, and was acutely aware of how loud her heartbeat seemed. She felt weak and giddy as she heard the first part of what he said. "I…I may have looked at you like you were my sister, but just through the last two hours, starting when I gave you a hug…I looked at you and saw a beautiful young woman. A beautiful young woman who I owe my life to and who I would gladly stick to the promised marriage with, because while you were telling me your story, pieces of my past fell into place."

"I…I can remember a few more things now. The incident at the old shack, I can remember that your favorite color is blue, that you used to love nothing more than beef and broccoli, and you used to hum a song in my ear, that you hate overconfident people and most of all…that night at the shack. I remember something that you either overlooked or didn't want to tell me."

Sarah gulped, looking up into his eyes. She knew what he was referring to, and it excited her that he remembered. She stood, shakily, and grabbed his hands. While she could only feel the skin of his fingers, she could tell he was sweaty and nervous. She directly into his ice-blue eyes, since they were the same height, and took shallow breaths. As she stared into his eyes, she felt like she was lost in their depth.

He didn't move his eyes away from hers as he spoke again. "You told me that you loved me. You told me that you wanted to grow up with me and love me…and marry me. You said in these exact words, 'You will always have my heart and soul. They are for no one else but you.'"

She held her breath…waiting for his next words. She was sure that whatever they were, good or bad, she would accept them readily. "I'm really confused right now…memories and emotions that I never had for 9 years are in my head and heart. I feel something for you; just allow me to figure out what it is. While I cannot remember everything that you can, I can remember a few things that need time to sort through. So I ask you: will you wait for me to figure this out before I make any decisions and before you move on?"

She leaned in, holding his hands, and was aware that her lips were maybe an inch or two from his. She spoke softly, in a whisper. "Of course I'll wait for you. I'll wait until you're ready."

She leaned in a bit more, half-unaware of her actions. She yearned for a kiss, and her body was responding. Her lips were close enough to his that she could feel their warmth, and she felt like her blood was on fire. It was hot, racing, pulsing, and it made her come within a millimeter of his lips. Her blue eyes met his and they stayed like that, gazing in each other's eyes. She felt like the universe slowed, and all she could hear was each other's breathing.

Suddenly, he pulled away, turning his back. She suddenly realized that her promise of waiting didn't mean just on _him _but on her actions towards him. She berated herself silently for her actions, but only half-heartedly. She had enjoyed it, and she knew he had too.

He turned back towards her and said, "I'm sorry. I…I think I should go inside." He walked past her, headed towards the house.

She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her. "No…I'm sorry. I _will_ wait. I _will_."

He nodded, understanding that she now knew what she was really saying. He smiled and said, "I know…thank you."

She let go of his arm, and smiled. No matter how long…she would wait. She would be here for him this time. She would not abandon him this time. He smiled and walked towards the house, and she returned his smile and followed him. She would never leave him to stand alone again.

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That is the end of Chapter 4. Chapter 5 will take place a few days after this; next chapter will be Rayu's new assignment from Tsunade. Read and Review please! Thanks!

FlexRhysode1


	5. Chapter 5: Healing and Trials

Thanks for reading…and if anyone is…please review and let me know what you think of the series! Let me know if it sucks, if it's great, if it could use some tuning, etc. Let me know in the Reviews!

Now, here's the new chapter!

P.S. I don't own anything I don't (or didn't already) mark with an asterisk. Nothing but those marked with asterisks are owned by me. Kishimoto-sensei owns the world of Naruto.

P.S.S. Here is a picture of Rayu's seal.

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Chapter 5: Healing and Trials 

Three days had passed since he had found out Sarah was not his sister, and that he had originally had no sister. Those three days that had passed were spent getting to know each other again. Yesterday, Rayu had left for the city, and visited his deceased friends' families. He told them shortly of what had happened, and that their sons died a hero's death. Sarah had come with him to help him and be his anchor to reality and sanity, and he was sure that she wanted him to know just how deep her pledge of waiting was.

After half a day of that, they returned to the farm and talked together until Sarah's mother came to get her. Then Sarah's mother stayed and talked with them until dinnertime. Sarah and her mother left, much to Rayu's disappointment, and left Rayu and his family to have a dinner to themselves. They had talked, laughed, joked, and finally went to bed, and Rayu slept peacefully for the first time since he had come back.

Rayu woke with the sun, getting ready for a day of farm work. He was up before everyone else, using his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to use his clones to make breakfast, do chores, clean up the house, and pull weeds. He focused on his two-hour training that he had not done for around five days and by the time everyone was awake, everything was done and perfect. He figured his parents needed a break, and he would allow them a day of rest and relaxation. The day was going great, uneventful and perfect. However, a messenger showed up on their front porch, handing Rayu a message.

Rayu sat on the couch, across from his parents, and read the flowing script that was on the message scroll. His parents were nervous, wondering what kind of message he had received. Rayu wearily put down the scroll, rubbed his eyes and addressed his parents.

"It's from Madame Hokage. She would like to talk to me and assign me to a new squad. I am to report to her in three hours. It says to expect not to return home for a week." He said, slightly excited and sad at the same time.

His parents let out a disappointed sigh and told him, "Well, you are mostly healed and fit for duty. While we would like to spend more time with you, your devotion to the village comes first."

Rayu nodded. Ever since the attack on Konoha, they had been short of Ninja to carry out jobs and keep the money flowing into the Village. He stood and said, "I am mostly healed. However, in my current condition, if I want to arrive on time, I need to leave now."

His father nodded, stood, and then shook Rayu's hand. "Come back safe." While it was a gruff goodbye, Rayu knew his father was struggling to let him go.

His mother did not bother with words. She just rushed at him, and embraced him in a hug. She held her son for a minute, and then said, "Get your things ready. I'll pack you dinner."

Rayu smiled, and absentmindedly rubbed the right side of his neck. "Okay." He turned to head to his room when his father said, "Is your bruise hurting?"

"Bruise?" Rayu echoed, unsure of what his father meant. Rayu had scars on his body, but not bruises.

His father said, "Yes, when you first came home, you had a weird bruise on the right side of your neck. Where you just rubbed on your neck is where the bruise is located."

Rayu went into the bathroom, curious about this 'bruise', and looked into the mirror. He pulled down the collar of his shirt and looked at his neck. What he saw concerned him. He saw not a bruise, but a ninja seal on his neck three inches under his right ear. He immediately ran out of the bathroom, packed and ran out into the living room.

His mother and father were confused at his reaction and asked, "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

Rayu quickly explained as he slipped his shoes on. "It's not a bruise. The thing on my neck is a Seal, one that I have never seen before. It could be a curse. I need to get to the Hokage immediately."

His mother put her hand to her mouth. His father said, "Rayu, we love you. Be careful."

Rayu nodded, and with a burst of Chakra, ran as fast as he could. He would be in Konoha sooner than expected. He was not sure what this seal was doing, but he was afraid it could be a time bomb. If it was a curse, it could manifest itself and take over his body in no time at all. He had to hurry.

He arrived at the Hokage's office an hour ahead of schedule, and had to wait a few minutes before she was ready to see him. He was ushered into her office, and she stood once he came in. She was wearing a black shawl over her sleeveless tunic, and he noticed for the first time that she had red irises. She had a concerned look on her face as she addressed him.

"You're an hour early…what's the matter? My aide, Shizune tells me it's urgent." She motioned to her aide that was standing a little bit behind her.

Rayu bowed and said, "Something's came to my attention, just after I was given your message. I found this on my neck." He pulled down the collar of his shirt, and he walked close to Tsunade. She leaned forward to examine it, and he explained, "It's a seal. I have never seen this design before…have you?"

Tsunade motioned for Shizune and said, "Get me the Scroll of Sealing."

Shizune obeyed, running over to a shelf and pulling out a giant scroll. Tsunade turned away from Rayu and grabbed the scroll from Shizune. She opened it and scanned it while talking to Rayu. "I can't tell much from it…except that it is a three-fold seal. This seal has three parts to it, which mean it has three different effects. I recognize one part of the seal…one that is rather amazing."

Rayu fixed his collar, and then said, "I don't know how I got this…I've never been touched by anyone on the neck. Not in combat…not in everyday life…never. How could this have happened?"

Tsunade closed the scroll and handed it back to Shizune. She had a relieved look on her face. "I have identified all three parts of the seal. As for your question, I think it may be a genetic seal. One part of the seal hints at that. Let me enlighten you on my findings."

She motioned for him to have a seat in front of her desk, and she sat next to him. She quickly grabbed a pen, ink, and a blank scroll. She then quickly sketched the design of the seal on the paper. She showed it to him, and then started to speak. (For picture of seal, look at foreword.)

"Let me start with what looks like the beginning of the seal. There are five dots, four forming a diamond, and then the fifth forming a dot in the center. This is a very basic yet difficult seal to start with. It requires an enormous amount of Chakra to be placed, and as a result, allows the user enormous amounts of Chakra to use. This seal is known as _'engi'_ and this is a Chakra Multiplier seal. It is basic, but with these five dots, it creates an awe-inspiring effect. It takes your regular Chakra levels and doubles it. I've read in your reports that you already had amazing stamina and Chakra, but with this seal, your Chakra strength and stamina will double."

Rayu nodded, and then said, "I found out that my current father isn't my real father. Do you think that my real father had this?"

Tsunade nodded and said, "That's the last part. However, let me say something. I think that this seal was activated on your trip here. On your mission, when everything went wrong, your situation could have caused the seal to manifest. I wondered how you had been able to get here without being half-dead already, and now I realize why. This seal basically saved your life."

Rayu sat back in silence. Tsunade continued, getting excited. "This next seal is amazingly difficult to place on a person. You see it as a swirl connected to the dots. This almost costs the placer of the seal his life. This seal is known as _'shourai'_, and it is a future-seeing seal. It allows the sealed person to see anywhere from two to five seconds into the future. This is a seal hardly ever used on anyone because it is so powerful and if it isn't placed right, like it was in your case, then it could cause insanity."

Rayu said, "So…my Chakra amount has doubled and I can see a few seconds into the future?"

Tsunade nodded and said, "This last part is amazing and is the greatest of them all. You see the five spines sticking out of the swirl?" Rayu nodded as he looked at them on the scroll. "Well, the spines show how many previous generations this seal has functioned, and at the same time it has a side effect. It is known as _'keishu'_, and it guards the user. Not perfectly mind you, but it means that the seal will activate and lessen damage given to you if you are in danger. It has a mind of its own when it is activated. This seal, costs the person who cast this seal their life. For this simple design, this three-part seal is one of the most powerful gift-bestowing seals I have ever seen."

She sat back, closed her eyes, and sighed. Rayu sat there, dazed, and remembered something that Sarah had told him. _Now, while I can't tell you a whole lot about our families, I can tell you that you were the son of a very important man, and I was the daughter of his closest friend._ Her voice echoed in his head, and he realized that if his father was an important person, than he would want to be protected.

He cleared his throat and said, "So…this seal has been on five people before me?"

Tsunade looked at him with her deep red eyes and said, "Yes, it has. This is an interesting development. At least now we know why you are still alive. What could have killed you, only injured you. Speaking of which…would you like your scars healed?"

Rayu thought about it and said, "Yes, please. Don't make them disappear, but just make them less visible."

Tsunade smiled and stood. "Good. Then please follow me."

Rayu stood, and followed her out of her office and into a long hallway. She walked into an unlabeled door, and Rayu followed. The room was small and the only thing it had in it was a wooden table. Tsunade smiled and said, "Please take off your shirt and lay down on the table.

Rayu nodded, and as Shizune came in and shut the door behind her, felt nervous and embarrassed as he took off his shirt. He kept his eyes on the floor, not looking at the faces of Shizune and Tsunade. He didn't want to see their reactions to his disgusting scars.

He lay down on the table, averting his eyes from the female's faces. Tsunade walked over to him and grabbed his head between her hands. She forced him to look at her. Her face was soft, but had a hint of sternness to it. Her voice was similar. "Rayu…don't be embarrassed about your scars. Be proud of them. They define what kind of person you are, and make you who you are. Don't be ashamed."

He nodded and met her eyes. She let go of his face and then said, "Rayu…this will be over quickly. Are you ready?"

He nodded and closed his eyes. He heard her hands move, and he assumed she was making hand signs. He heard her clasp her hands, and then place them on his chest. He felt like a soft electrical surge was pulsing through his body, and then five seconds later, it was done.

She took her hands off his chest and sighed. "There."

He opened his eyes and stood. He got off the table and looked at his chest. Where there had been seven scars, there were only two. These were so small that they looked like fine-tipped marker lines. His muscled chest was almost completely unblemished, and he assumed his back was the same. He felt the scars under his eyes, and he was surprised to find them even thinner than on his chest. They were tiny and almost non-existent.

He put his shirt on and bowed to Tsunade. "Thank you so much. I am in your debt."

She shook her head and said, "No, it's my pleasure, Rayu. You deserved this, after all that you have been through. Now…Let's take a walk."

Rayu nodded, and with Shizune holding the door open for them, he and the Hokage walked out of the room. They walked in silence until they went outside. They walked down the streets, Rayu following Tsunade. She finally spoke and said, "Rayu…having only one member of a squad still alive is not a common occurrence, and it's even less of an occurrence after the Sand Village attack. We usually just place waiting Ninja into an open space on a squad, but you being a Chunin has also added that difficulty. I have notified all of the squads that need or want another member, which is almost all of them, and they are going to watch you perform your skills in a series of tests. These tests will include fighting other Ninja, testing your Chakra control, so on and so forth. Those who still want you in their squad by the end of the tests will all come into a conference room with me and discuss whose squad you will be placed on. You will find out whose squad you will be assigned to by the end of the day."

Rayu nodded and asked, "Are we going there now?"

Tsunade nodded and said, "Yes. You will be testing where we held the Chunin exams."

Tsunade said, "Try not to be intimidated when we reach the stadium. There will be many people there, and a few of the people you will fight will be Jonin, Special Jonin, and even ANBU members. Just do your best."

Rayu nodded and they walked in silence until they reached the stadium. Once they were at the entrance, Tsunade said, "I will be in the stands, so good luck Rayu. I'll introduce the people who have requested you for their team."

Rayu nodded and Tsunade walked in the double doors and shut them behind her. He followed after a moment, and walked into the stadium. He walked straight into the sandy arena, and half blinded by the sun reflecting off the bright sand. There were a couple trees at opposite ends of the circular arena, and the stands surrounding the arena held many people.

He walked into the center of the arena, and then scanned the crowds, looking for familiar faces. He noticed the Jonin leaders Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, and even Might Guy. They each had their squads with them, and he was pleased to see Choji Akimichi, Rock Lee, and even Neji Hyuga all there watching him. He scanned the crowd for faces and was shocked to see a lot of kids from his class at the Academy sitting in the stands, anxious to see him. He smiled and waved to a lot of them, and he froze when he saw someone in particular.

Standing, waving at him with her all girl squad was Sarah Kasairoze and her leader, Tamari Kalichenka. He blushed a crimson red, surprised that Sarah's leader had requested him. He was a year younger than all of the squad members in Tamari's cell, and he wondered why she had wanted him in her squad.

Suddenly, from the Hokage Seat high above the rest of the stands, Tsunade addressed them. "Good afternoon everyone, and thank you all for coming! You are all aware that Rayu Tazamaki is a Chunin without a squad, and in the following trials, you will all see his skills. Since you all know him, and he does not know you, I will list a few of the Jonin Leaders here today. First we have Asuma Sarutobi, leader of Squad 10 which consists of Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, and Shikimaru Nara." Asuma stood and inclined his head, smoking a cigarette. Choji stood and waved furiously, recognizing Rayu from the Ramen shop. Ino bowed and then sat, and Shikimaru remained sitting.

Tsunade continued, "Then we have Kurenai Yuhi, head of Squad 8 which consists of Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame."

Kurenai gave a slight bow as she stood and looked at Rayu. Hinata was shy and weakly waved at him, while Kiba gave him a thumbs-up, and Shino bowed.

The list continued, with Tsunade booming out, "There is Might Guy, Leader of…" Tsunade thought for a while before continuing. "Well, Might Guy is the leader of his squad. His squad consists of Tenten, Rock Lee, and Neji Hyuga."

Might Guy jumped up when his name was mentioned, and gave his signature thumbs-up and he smiled. Rayu almost laughed when he saw Guy's teeth twinkle in the sunlight. Rock Lee did the exact same thing, while Tenten smiled and gave a bow. Neji simply nodded his head in greeting, and sat with his arms across his chest.

The roll call went on, until finally Tsunade ended with Tamari Kalichenka. "And last, but not least, is Tamari Kalichenka, leader of Squad 28. Squad 28 consists of Sarah Kasairoze, Rachel Seratua, and Lana King!"

Tamari bowed, smiling. She had shoulder length black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and she had soft features. She wore nothing but chain-link armor, and an overcoat (similar to Proctor Anko's outfit.) She had chocolate brown eyes. Sarah waved and blushed furiously, and then sat down in a hurry. Rachel Seratua had shoulder length blonde hair that was straightened, and she had beautiful green eyes. She had small pink lips and she had a few freckles. She wore a pink tee shirt with the words "Got Ninja?" on it, and she wore black pants. Finally, Lana King blushed a crimson red and smiled at him. She bowed and then wiggled her fingers flirtatiously at him, drawing a dirty look from Sarah. She had bleach blond hair, tan skin, and ocean-blue eyes. She wore loose dark blue pants and a mid-riff revealing black tee shirt.

Tsunade said, "Now…with the introductions done with, let the trials begin!"

Rayu shivered with anticipation. _Time to see the full extent of my abilities. I'm gonna give them a show that will top anything they've ever seen!_

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Well, that's the end of Chapter 5! Review please! Next Chapter: Rayu faces the first tests! Will he impress the Jonin? Or will he be looked down upon?

Flexrhsyode1


	6. Chapter 6: Trials part 1

Hey guys…so far, I have only seen one review. Well, that is okay. That is probably all I will get, but I still want to get this story out. Please review if you are reading this. Tell me if this story sucks, if I need to add something more exciting, etc. I cannot reveal everything in one go, but I can tell you that certain events will arise that will reveal a forbidden Jutsu later on in the story. Rayu will also have a memory flash in this chapter, revealing further, who he is and what he is capable of. Good luck with reading the Naruto Revelations.

P.S. This Portion is a little graphic in one part, due to a certain Genjutsu.

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Chapter 6: Trials: Part 1

Rayu's heart was pounding, anxious for the tests to start. He was so excited that more than thirty Jonin Leaders were here to see his capabilities, but disappointed at the same time. The great Special Jonin Kakashi Hayate, leader of Squad 7, was not present. However, he would not let that discourage him. It was his time to shine.

Tsunade announced from the Hokage's viewing box, "Your first test will be on your speed, and at the same time, your reflexes and ability to avoid and dodge attacks while going at your top speed. Please, go the end of the arena closest to you."

He did as he was told, and then stood with his back straight against the wall. Suddenly, a few proctors teleported into various positions in the arena, and held several different kinds of Shuriken and Kunai. Tsunade took a breath, and then yelled, "GO!"

Rayu took off immediately, propelling as much Chakra as he could through his feet, which ended up sending him flying near 90 miles an hour and he picked up even more speed after that. Everything was a blur, but he could see the proctors throwing their weapons. He smiled and continued to speed along. Most of the weapons were too slow to even get close to him, but he had to flip into the air or duck under a few thrown shuriken. By the time he had reached the other side of the coliseum, (which was roughly four hundred yards or 1200 feet.) in an astounding 6 seconds.

Rayu leaned up against the far wall, not even sweating. He looked at the faces of the Jonin Leaders and their squads and was happy to see more than half of them staring with disbelief at his speed. He kept a special eye on Sarah, and he saw her as disbelieving as the rest if not more so. Even Neji Hyuga was surprised, and Rock Lee mouthed something to his master that looked like something 'bloom of youth'.

He smiled and looked up at Tsunade's viewing platform and waited for her next instructions. She seemed as astounded as the rest. "Well, okay. The next test is a test of your genjutsu (illusion) skills and your resistance to them."

The proctors who had been throwing the shuriken at him, seven in total, smiled and walked closer to him. Tsunade further expounded on it. "First it will be a simple clone genjutsu that you'll be tested on your response to that. Then, a genjutsu that makes your rely on your other senses, and after that, several Genjutsu that you may come up against in future missions."

Rayu nodded, and Tsunade said, "All right then! Begin!"

The first proctor, out of the straight line of seven, walked forward and activated the clone Genjutsu. Rayu thought that it was a simple clone maneuver, like the one that when he had fought Sarah three days ago. Instead of one proctor, there were now six. Rayu activated six Shadow Clones, which caused a surprised reaction out of many people. As a Chunin, he should just be learning how the process even works and he shouldn't have achieved mastery over it yet. The proctor's clones accepted this, and the six proctors and six Rayu clones charged at each other. The real Rayu hung back, running with his clones, but not close enough to be hurt.

All six of his clones jumped at the proctor clones, and to Rayu's surprise, and went clear through them. That meant that the proctor had done something to activate six clones while he hid. Suddenly, Rayu felt a slight burn on the right side of his neck, and he realized that his seal was activated. Things seemed to blur, and he could see the reactions of people…before they happened. He quickly looked around, and saw a faint silhouette of a Proctor coming up from underneath him and slashing at him.

He took a step back, and a full two seconds later, a solid bodied proctor jumped out of the ground where Rayu would have been. He jumped out of the ground, slashing at thin air. He looked around wildly until his eyes fell on a fist rushing at his face. Rayu punched the proctor, light enough to not do heavy damage, but hard enough to send the proctor stumbling backwards.

Rayu bowed to the proctor, signaling that he didn't wish to engage in combat, and the proctor bowed back, rubbing his nose. The proctor backed up into the line, and the next proctor stepped out. This proctor, a completely bald white man with black shorts and a green tee shirt, seemed to be itching for a confrontation. He made a few hand signs, and then activated his genjutsu. Immediately, Rayu was surrounded by blackness, and he recognized the Genjutsu.

_The Bringer of Darkness Illusion! Crap! _He thought. This Genjutsu affected only the person it was being cast on, and it made them think that they were completely engulfed in darkness. His mind quickly scanned through his teachings from his old Jonin leader Tannith. He found one that would serve him well and immediately focused his Chakra into his ears. He closed his eyes and let the technique work. The Chakra heightened his sense of hearing, and he could almost perfectly tell where the proctor stood, and how far away. He heard the proctor snap open his kunai holster, and prepare to throw a weapon.

Rayu beat him to it, snapping open his own kunai holster, grabbing his kunai, and judging by the sound of the Proctor taking a step forward, threw his kunai. He then quickly activated his Kage Bunshin no Justu (Shadow clones) and sent a five man frontal assault, knowing that his clones would not be able to see. However, even with the clones being blind like him, they had the Chakra to heighten their sense of hearing.

He heard a scream as his clones managed to hit the proctor, and the proctor discontinued the genjutsu. Rayu could suddenly see again, and he saw the proctor under the five clones who each had a kunai drawn. Tsunade announced that test passed, and the Clones disappeared. The proctor got up shakily and went back into line.

The next proctor walked forward and wasted no time in getting his genjutsu cast. Suddenly, Rayu found himself on a dark sandy plane, with a flaming red sky above him. Suddenly, chains erupted from the ground, anchoring into his clothes and wrapping around his arms and legs. He found that he could not move. He heard Tsunade announce, "This Genjutsu is especially brutal. Only Jonin, ANBU, and the torture interrogation unit know this deadly genjutsu. This is known as the _Master Illusion Harmony_ Genjutsu. This genjutsu, for those who don't know it, makes the user think they are being strapped down by chains, and unlike the regular Illusion Harmony, instead of the user thinking they are being ripped apart and being melted it's the person they care most about."

WARNING: THIS PART IS A LITTLE GRAPHIC! IT WON'T GET INTO ANYTHING TOO MUCH THOUGH.

Rayu panicked, realizing the implications. He had already seen Draken, Zennith, Masashi, Kai, and Tannith all die slowly, and now he might have to watch it again. This time, he might not be able to hold onto his sanity. Suddenly, a pillar of fire exploded in front of him, and he saw Sarah, battered and bruised. He knew it was not real, but it still pulled on his emotions.

He struggled futilely against the chains, and she was suddenly captured by similar chains. Instead of it simply holding her though, the chains immediately started to contract back into the ground. She started to whimper in pain, and Rayu screamed out in frustration. He couldn't break free of the chains that bound him. A voice whispered in his ear, "_Submit!"_

He roared out in defiance, tears starting to form in his eyes. Sarah started to make louder cries as her limbs were being strained even more. The chains started to pull her limbs at an awkward angle, and she let out a scream. A pillar of fire engulfed her, and he screamed out her name.

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In the stands, Sarah saw Rayu glance around wildly with seeming blind eyes, and the Proctor pulled out a chain from a backpack. The Proctor teleported right next to Rayu and bound him with the chain, making sure that Rayu couldn't move.

Tsunade explained to the crowd what the genjutsu did, and Sarah had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. There were a few gasps of disbelief as the Genjutsu was explained, mainly from the Genin and Chunin in the stands, but even a few from the Jonin. This Genjutsu was brutal, and it was meant to break the will of the target.

Tears filled Sarah's eyes as she heard him scream out frustration as he struggled against the proctor, but unable to break free. The stands went silent, so quiet they could hear the proctor whisper, "_Submit!"_

She wished he would, but then he voiced his defiance. She flinched, unaware that such a noise could come out of him. It seemed that he had made his emotion tangible, able to be felt, and she recoiled. The proctor seemed to almost lose his grip, but then…after a moment…she saw his eyes go wide in fear. She knew what was about to happen, and was about to plug her ears. She didn't know whom he was seeing, but she was sure that it would break his spirit as he saw them destroyed.

She had almost plugged her ears, when he screamed his utter disbelief and sorrow in the form of a name. "SARAH!" This made tears spring to her eyes, part out of joy, and part out of pity for him. A few people started to shift uncomfortably…until something strange happened.

There was a bright light shining from the right side of Rayu's neck, and it changed from a golden light to the blue energy of Chakra. The Chakra engulfed the chains that bound Rayu and broke them. The Chakra didn't neatly dismantle them though; it caused each link to explode at the same time, away from Rayu. The Proctor behind Rayu was thrown backwards, dazed, and Rayu collapsed to the ground.

Sarah leapt out of her seat, but was held back by her Jonin leader. Tamari whispered, "Look!"

Sarah did, and her heart leapt to her throat. Rayu stood, and said loudly, "Is that all you can do? Bring it on!"

She realized that he had been able to break free of the illusion, and she let out a small cheer of excitement. She wasn't the only one though; several Genin and Chunin did the same to show their support. Rayu locked gazes with her, and smiled his thanks. She realized though that it wasn't over. In fact, it had just begun.

Rayu was actually sweating from the very last genjutsu. The seventh proctor had initiated a genjutsu that was nothing but a battle of wills. They had both struggled for twenty minutes, until Rayu had gained the upper hand. He had found that his seal wasn't just protecting him physically, but it also boosted his mental strength. His seal was helping him so much, he was extremely thankful that it had been activated; otherwise, he might not have made it past the first Genjutsu.

Tsunade broke the silence with, "Now…this next test will determine your battle prowess. You will battle starting from a Genin, then a Chunin, then a Jonin, then a Special Jonin, and then an ANBU Black Ops member. Then, you will be able to spar one person of your choice. You will cycle through this roster regardless if you lose or win. However, if you are unable to continue, we will conclude the tests."

Rayu nodded, and allowed himself a moment of rest. Tsunade addressed the crowd next. "I will call upon the Genin who are present, and those of you who do not wish to fight can decline. However, if all of you decline, we will simply move on to Chunin. Now…first in the list is Kurenai Frinizaki."

Rayu did a double take, as his deceased squad member's little sister stood up. When he had visited her family, the mother and father had been devastated but accepting and sorry for Rayu. However, Kurenai, a black haired fiery tempered little girl, had been angry with him and blamed him. He knew that she would want to fight him, and he was saddened by this.

Kurenai, the 13-year-old sister of deceased Masashi and Zennith Frinizaki, leapt into the arena readily and yelled, "I accept!"

Rayu felt tears start to well up and said softly, "Kurenai…your brothers wouldn't want this. _I _don't want this. This dishonors their memory!"

Kurenai replied to him with an angry shout, "No! They would want me to avenge their deaths! It's your fault! So I will avenge them!"

Rayu shook his head and said, "Then I'll make this quick."

Kurenai pulled out a Kunai knife and Tsunade yelled, "GO!"

Kurenai rushed at him, foolhardily. He simply sidestepped, grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her so that she couldn't make any hand signs or an attempt to hurt him. He pleadingly asked, "Please…Kurenai! Just stop!"

She somehow managed to twist free, and she kicked him in his face and sent him stumbling backwards. She pulled out her throwing stars, and threw them at Rayu, not bothering to hold back. Rayu simply dodged them and then grabbed Kurenai by the throat. He quickly grabbed her, entwining his limbs with hers so that she couldn't move. "YIELD!" He yelled, pained at this conflict.

Kurenai shouted, "NO!"  
One proctor jumped forwards and said, "Since you won't call the match, I will! Genin Kurenai Frinizaki is unable to continue her fight! Chunin Rayu Tazamaki wins!"

There was complete silence as Kurenai was extracted and pulled back to the stands. Angrily, Kurenai pulled free of the proctor and said, "I'll get stronger…and someday I'll avenge them!"

Rayu simply looked at her with a pained expression. She sat back down in the stands, silent and angry. Rayu turned to Tsunade as she cleared her throat and said, "Well…the next trial will be a fellow Chunin! The same process that I stated with the Genin will apply here!"

"The first Chunin on the list is….Shikimaru Nara!" Shikimaru stood a little and said, "I decline!"

Tsunade continued the roll call. "Hinata Hyuga!" Hinata stood, and replied, "I decline!"

Again, Tsunade continued. "Ino Yamanaka!" Ino stood and with a red face, said, "I decline!"

Rayu hung his head, fearing that no one would fight him. Tsunade called seven more names, and Rayu had been declined seven more times. Finally, Tsunade said, "Sarah Kasairoze!"

Rayu whipped his head up, startled. Sarah stood, smiling, and said, "I accept!"

Rayu smiled as she came into the ring, and bowed to him. She smiled back and said, "This time I won't hold back."

Rayu laughed and said, "I believe you. Thank you. I was hoping to fight you either in this round…or at the last round."

She nodded, and assumed a starting stance as Tsunade yelled, "GO!"

Rayu assumed his Taijutsu stance of Swift Fist, and the two of them tried to wait each other out. However, they both realized that neither of them would make the first move. They relaxed a little, and then sprang into action. Rayu leapt backwards, as did Sarah, and they both initiated their own Jutsu.

Sarah quickly formed her hand signs and yelled, "Katon (Fire style): Grand Fireball!"

She put her hand to her face, and blew a massive fireball towards Rayu while he initiated his own Jutsu: "Doton (Earth style): Inner Decapitation skill!"

He went underground a split second before the giant fireball exploded where he had been standing. He listened underground for the sound of Sarah's landing, and heard it a little ahead of him. He homed in on the sound, and thrust his hands up through the dirt and grabbed her ankles. She let out a cry of surprise, and he pulled her down until only her head was above the ground. He then jumped out of the ground and smiled at her.

She laughed, and for a moment, he was confused. Then, he looked at his feet and saw a paper bomb…right before it exploded. The little letter bomb was a thin piece of paper that had explosive substances on it, and it hurt. It blew him four to five feet in the air, stunning him for a moment. He landed on his back, cursing his lack of awareness. He quickly flipped onto his feet, and was surprised to see Sarah already out of the ground and throwing a punch at his head.

He dodged it, and then returned her punch for one of his. She managed to duck underneath it and then kick him and perform an uppercut. He staggered backwards, and was surprised to see her form a Rasengan in a split second. He recovered his balance and did likewise, but he was faster than she was. The Rasengan, a ball of air formed from Chakra, was formed in a split millisecond (which is unheard of). He thrust his palm at the exact moment she thrust hers, and their Rasengan collided.

The result was spectacular. The moment both Rasengan collided, a burst of air and Chakra swirled around them, and then they both went flying and spinning backwards. While still in mid-air, he initiated a special Jutsu, Acid of 1000 fangs. He spit acid, propelling the stream into the arena wall above where Sarah would land, cutting a block out. The acid cut easily through the stone, and by the time Sarah and Rayu had landed, it was ready to fall.

Sarah was dazed as she landed on her back and had the wind knocked out of her, and then the block fell. Rayu landed on his feet, skidding backwards. He saw what was happening in slow motion, and his seal burned like a fire. He could not just see what was going to happen, but time seemed to slow. He shot a large amount of Chakra out of his feet, sending him to land right next to Sarah. She looked up, terrified as the 3 foot wide, long, and thick block hurtled down towards her.

Rayu did the first thing that came to his mind as he looked down into her deep blue eyes. He held his first two fingers of both of his hands straight up, and brought them together to form them into a cross in a familiar motion. Time, still slow, stopped. He heard a strange echoing voice.

(Flashback)

_A little boy of five years old looked up at his father. His father was wearing a pure white robe, pure white tunic, and a loving face. His blond hair was brushed out into four bangs straight out away from his forehead, and the boy would grow up to look just like him in ten years. The father's piercing blue eyes looked warmly down at his son from on top of a grassy hill._

_The boy waved, and he yelled, "Father! Daddy!"_

_His father's face changed from love, to fear. Rayu tripped on a tree root, falling onto his face, right under the path of a falling tree branch. He could remember that the father ran so fast he was not even visible until he stopped right next to the boy. His father looked up determinedly and quickly made a few hand signs. "Light Style: Rei Blast!"_

_A beam of energy shot out from his extended palms, turning the falling branch into nothing but ashes. As soon as the danger was over, Rayu's father picked him up and made sure he was okay. "Are you all right?"_

_The boy nodded, amazed at his father. "Yes Daddy. Thank you."_

_A ninja aide materialized next to his father and said, "Hikage! Are you all right?"_

_Rayu's father smiled and said, "Of course. I was just protecting my son."_

_Rayu hugged his father, unaware of how close he had come to death a few moments earlier. He vowed to himself, _Someday, I will be just as strong as my daddy!

(End of Flashback)

His hand signs changed, mimicking the set of hand signs from his memory. He knew a bit more of who he was now, and he would live up to his vow. He would be as strong as his father. He finished the symbols and then thrust his palms upwards, as if to catch the falling block.

He saw Sarah's fear, and was determined to save her. He felt his Chakra release, and he yelled out, "Light Style: Rei Blast!"

Bright energy poured from his palms, equal to the heat of a nova. It engulfed the block, and completely obliterated it. Smoke engulfed them from the extreme heat, and he heard the _puff_'s, as a few proctors appeared outside of the smoke, anxious to see the outcome and to see if the Chunin were alive.

As the smoke cleared, they saw twelve Rayu shadow clones shielding the real Rayu and Sarah from the molten slag rock that had fallen due to the cube of stone being melted. The Shadow Clones each disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing an unharmed Rayu and Sarah. Rayu was crouched protectively over Sarah, and Sarah was curled up in a ball.

The entire fight had taken two to three minutes, but the last part of the stone falling and Rayu protecting Sarah, had taken four seconds. The proctors helped the two Chunin to their feet, and quickly examined them for injuries. There were no injuries.

Tsunade stood and quickly addressed Shizune, her aide, who had come a little while after the Genjutsu tests. "Shizune…go fetch me the Scrolls. Quickly. I don't think I have ever seen that Jutsu before, and I have never heard of a 'Light Style'."

She then addressed the crowd, loud enough to be heard over the murmur of astounded voices. "It appears that Chunin Rayu Tazamaki is the winner. Allow us a moment before continuing the trials to ensure that both Chunin are safe."

The crowd quieted down as a Medic checked both Sarah and Rayu for any signs of life-threatening injuries. He held up his hands and said, "They're fine! Only a few cuts and scrapes!"

The crowd clapped for a while, showing their admiration. Might Guy turned to Rock Lee and said, "Lee…when he ran to the girl as the block was falling, could you see him?"

Rock Lee shook his head and replied, "No master, I could not. He was so fast that I don' think even Neji could have seen him. He was going as fast as I could go without my leg weights. He surely has the bloom of youth!" Guy nodded, thoughtful.

Back in the stadium, the proctors were helping Sarah in to the stands, and Rayu watched her with concern. He helped to hoist her up past one of the walls into the waiting arms of her Jonin Leader. As she was being carried back to her seat in the stands, she locked eyes with Rayu and mouthed, 'Thank you'.

He gave a slight bow, and watched her until he was sure that she was fine. Tsunade was just starting her speech. He turned to watch and listen, happy to finally be battling a Jonin.

"Now that we have been assured that both of the Chunin, Sarah Kasairoze and Rayu Tazamaki are safe and unharmed, we will continue the trials! I will now read the Jonin list." Tsunade took a breath and called out the first name.

"Tamari Kalichenka!" Tamari stood, and distractedly said, "I decline!" She sat back down and started to fuss over Sarah. Rayu hadn't expected her to fight him though.

Tsunade was about to read the next name, when Rayu clutched at the right side of his neck and yelled in pain. Tsunade immediately set down her list of names and teleported into the arena next to Rayu. He was on the ground, holding his gloved hands over his neck where his seal was located.

She yelled for a medic, and then pried his hands away from his neck. His seal was glowing with a golden light, and she was unsure of what was happening. He suddenly went rigid and he let out another scream. What Tsunade saw, froze her blood.

Rayu's three fold seal suddenly was turning into a four-fold seal. New lines suddenly appeared, and she quickly turned to the closest proctor. "Teleport to my office! Grab me the scroll of Sealing, now!"

The proctor nodded, and was gone in a flash. The lines finished growing on Rayu's neck, and he suddenly went limp. She felt for a pulse, and was relieved to find it, even though it was faint. The medic came running, and he quickly checked the seal on Rayu's neck. He suddenly went grim and quickly said, "What happened?" The seal on Rayu's neck stopped glowing, and now just black lines remained.

Tsunade shook her head and said, "I don't know."

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Hey guys! Thanks for reading Chapter 6: Trials: Part 1! Part 2 is up next! I have tried to post a picture of Rayu's seal of how it looks now! It should appear below this line.

So, tell me what you think of my story! Interesting enough for you? Review this chapter and let me know!

Flexrhysode1


	7. Chapter 7: Trials Part 2

Chapter 7: Trials: Part 2

The medic came running, and he quickly checked the seal on Rayu's neck. He suddenly went grim and quickly said, "What happened?" The seal on Rayu's neck stopped glowing, and now just black lines remained.

Tsunade shook her head and said, "I don't know."

Shizune suddenly appeared next to the Hokage, carrying three scrolls. All three were massive. They were about a foot wide and three feet tall. Shizune set the scrolls on the ground next to Tsunade and said, "Here are the two Scrolls of the arts of Jutsu and here is the Scroll of Sealing."

Tsunade yanked open the scroll of sealing and looked for the symbols that had appeared on Rayu's neck. She looked for around thirty seconds until she found it. She quickly read the description and handed the scroll to Shizune. She shook her head and turned to the medic. "I need you to do an examination right now and find out how much Chakra he has left. Quickly."

The medic nodded, and quickly drew a diagram in the hot sand. He then uttered a few words, performed a few hand signs, and then put his hand onto Rayu's forehead. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He then pulled his hand away and addressed Tsunade.

He shook his head in disbelief. "His Chakra…is massive! He's only used half of it!"

Tsunade smiled thankfully and told Shizune to hand her the scroll again. Shizune did, and she asked, "Tsunade…what is it?"

Tsunade found the seal again, and then read even more in depth about it. Her eyes got wide and she said, "You won't believe this."

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Rayu's eyes fluttered open, and he saw Tsunade talking to Shizune. "You won't believe this." She said.

Rayu weakly sat up and asked, "Won't believe what? What happened?"

Tsunade turned to Rayu, surprised that he was awake. "Rayu…are you alright?"

He nodded slowly, making sure that his body was functioning, and then said, "Yes. I think I am. What happened to me? I felt a burning pain in the side of my neck, and then I passed out."

Tsunade quickly sketched something in the sand, and Rayu recognized the sketch as the seal on his neck, but this drawing had more lines to it. Tsunade spoke softly. "Your seal was glowing, and then another layer was added to your seal. Your seal now looks like this." She motioned the drawing in the ground.

Rayu examined it, and thought that the seal looked better…more complete. "So…what do those additional symbols mean?"

She paused and said, "Well, that seal is known as "_yokan_", or precognition. This seal is dangerous when it first become active. You're extremely lucky that your Chakra multiplied…otherwise, you might not have survived. If the seal becomes active and you don't have enough Chakra to spur it into a full development, you die. Right now, you have half of your Chakra, which would be the amount you used to have."

Rayu repeated himself, curious as to what the fourth layer of the seal did. "What does it do?"

Tsunade looked at the open scroll in her hands and said, "Well…this seal, _yokan_, goes almost hand in hand with your _shourai_ seal. When you can see things happen in the future, your fourth seal becomes active. Precognition and the Future-seeing seal together, slows time down for you. You move at your regular speed, but everything else is slowed down to a crawl. That's why you were able to get to Sarah so quickly and save her."

Rayu thought about this, and then stood up. "So I can slow down time?"

Tsunade stood as well and said, "Yes. You gave me quite a worry there. Are you able to continue?"

Rayu nodded and said, "Yes, I am ready to continue."

Tsunade smiled and announced to the crowd, who had been waiting in silence this entire time, "Rayu is fine! It appears to have been nothing to worry about!"

The crowd cheered, and Rayu smiled. Tsunade turned to Rayu and said, "Good luck."

Rayu bowed as Shizune collected the two scrolls that were on the stadium floor, and together, Tsunade and her assistant teleported back up to Hokage Viewing box. Tsunade set down the scroll and picked up the Special Jonin leader list. "Now…allow me to continue with the Special Jonin list."

The crowd quieted down, anxious to hear who would be called upon next. Tsunade announced the name, "Special Jonin Chomaru Atu."

Rayu raised an eyebrow and scanned the crowd for his deceased teammate's father. He spotted him as he stood. "I accept."

Chomaru Atu was a man who stood 6' 7" tall, weighed 297 lbs, and was nothing but pure muscle. He jumped out of the stands and landed in the stadium, 15 feet away from Rayu. He had a buzzed black hair, with a mustache/goatee mix of facial hair. His eyes were gentle brown, and Rayu knew that even though this man could deal out damage, he preferred to negotiate instead of fight.

Chomaru wore the regular Ninja style Sandal boots and wore the traditional green Jonin vest, which had six scroll holders on each breast, and was well padded. He wore all black clothing underneath the vest however. A long sleeved black shirt, loose black pants, and leather gloves that covered his entire hand.

Rayu was intimidated and quivered a little in fear. He was not sure if Chomaru was angry with him like Kurenai, or if he was just doing this for his son's memory. Chomaru seemed to realize this, and he said softly. "I do not blame you for my son's death. I am doing this because I feel that he would want me to help you improve and help you get in to the best squad possible."

Those words almost made Rayu cry. He sniffled a little and smiled. "Thank you, Chomaru-sensei."

He nodded, and then assumed his fighting stance. Unlike his son, he did not wield a massive sword, but instead focused on hand-to-hand combat. Rayu slipped into his Taijutsu (physical attack) style, which had him lean back slightly, and move his right leg out ahead of the rest of his body and put his hands out palms facing the enemy. Tsunade yelled, "Go!"

Chomaru attacked, and Rayu recognized the Taijutsu style that Chomaru was using. He was using the Taijutsu style of the Iron Fist. Iron Fist is the hand-to-hand combat style, which tries to break the enemy's bone and create external wounds. It uses strength alone and causes damage to the outer body. Rayu realized that with the strength of Chomaru in conjunction with this style could end up hurting if Chomaru even landed a glancing blow.

Rayu quickly dodged away, running as far as possible. He ended up being followed closely by Chomaru, and Rayu decided to make Chomaru retreat. He quickly initiated his 'Acid of 1000 Fangs' Jutsu and squirted acid in a steady stream aimed at Chomaru. Chomaru was forced to jump away, a full fifty yards back, in order to escape the range of the acid. As soon as Chomaru was out of range, Rayu initiated his Rasengan Jutsu and ran full blast at Chomaru. Chomaru jumped out of the way, and ended up landing a four hit combo on Rayu's arm, back, shoulder, and on the back of his head. Rayu fell face-forward on the ground, and his Rasengan dissipated.

He heard Chomaru initiate a Jutsu as he yelled, "Boulder Strike!"

Rayu stood, looking around for Chomaru. Chomaru appeared out of nowhere, and swung his fist at Rayu. Rayu felt his seal activate with a faint burn as he was struck by Chomaru's Boulder Strike. He went flying backwards, and landed so hard on his back that he was stunned and had the wind knocked out of him.

Rayu closed his eyes, dazed. Chomaru ran over to make sure that Rayu was down for the count, and thought Rayu was unconscious. Rayu was surprised that the Boulder Strike had not ended up knocking him unconscious, and realized that the _keishu_ part of his seal had protected him from most of the damage. He thanked his lucky stars as he heard Chomaru turn away and address Tsunade. "I applied enough force to knock out just about anything, Hokage. There's no way he's conscious."

Rayu stood quietly, and Tsunade and the rest of the crowd gasped. Rayu smiled, and Chomaru whirled around. "Impossible!" He yelled, shocked that Rayu was conscious.

Rayu smiled, and then yelled, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Fourteen Rayu's suddenly appeared next to him, and eleven clones jumped onto Chomaru, making him unable to move. The remaining clones took positions about six feet behind, off to the left, and off to the right of Chomaru. Rayu and his three free clones each performed the Rasengan.

Rayu yelled, "Tazamaki Four Rasengan Combo!" He ran forward, and thrust his Rasengan filled palm in a gap through his clones and ended up hitting Chomaru in the gut. The eleven clones disappeared with puffs of smoke as Chomaru went flying backwards towards the clone with a Rasengan behind him.

As soon as Chomaru was close enough to the clone, the clone thrust his Rasengan into Chomaru's back, causing him to fly forward. The clone that had been off to Chomaru's right ran forward, intersecting with Chomaru. He performed an uppercut, causing his Rasengan filled fist to contact with Chomaru's head. Chomaru went flying up into the air, spinning wildly. The last clone with a Rasengan jumped high into the air above Chomaru, and when Chomaru was in range, slammed its Rasengan into Chomaru's spinning body.

Chomaru went spinning back down to earth, and landed with a bone-jarring slam. Rayu deactivated his Shadow Clones, making him and the unconscious Chomaru the only ones in the arena. That maneuver had taken a large amount of Chakra out of Rayu, but Rayu wasn't worried about it right now. A proctor ran into the arena with a medic to make sure Chomaru was still alive. A regular person would have been almost fatally injured by that maneuver, but Rayu knew Chomaru would only be unconscious for a little while.

The Medic gave a thumbs-up and said, "He's fine! Only bruised! No serious injuries!"

Tsunade stood and said, "Rayu Tazamaki wins his third round! Next, I'll read from the very short roster of the Jonin."

Rayu bent over, knowing that he had maybe ¾ of his normal Chakra left, and hoping that if he could conserve his Chakra, he might be able to last pretty long against a Special Jonin.

Tsunade started naming off the list. "Karkiri Tsumane!" Someone far in the stands stood and said, "I decline!"

"Irikari Suzuki!" Another person stood and yelled, "I decline!"

"Might Guy!" Rayu's eyes got wide. He had heard that the only person able to even come close to beating Kakashi was Might Guy. Might Guy had learned some of the most difficult Taijutsu attack moves…and even invented some of his own. Might Guy had never lost a match except to Kakashi. Rayu shivered, and he looked at Might Guy as he stood.

His thick black eyebrows, Jackie Chan-like face, bob cut black hair that had white shines, and small eyes with a few thick eyelashes, were quite a comical site. However, those details seemed insignificant next to the fact that he wore the traditional light green Jonin vest, but underneath, he wore a green long-sleeve spandex shirt and long green spandex pants. He was quite a comical sight.

He winked, gave a thumbs-up and yelled, "I accept!" Rayu was half blinded when Guy's teeth twinkled in the bright afternoon sun.

Guy jumped into the arena, and landed next to Rayu, hardly exerting any effort. He greeted Rayu energetically. "How ya doin'?" He grabbed Rayu's hand and pumped it up and down, hurting Rayu's arm.

He then put Rayu in a headlock, and said, "You know…you have the Bloom of Youth! I can't wait to fight you! You're just like my Rock Lee!"

Rayu couldn't breathe, and he gasped out, "I…cough…bet!"

Might Guy released Rayu, allowing him to breathe, as Tsunade addressed them. "Assume your ready positions!"

Might Guy stood in his Taijutsu style, the Iron Fist style. He stood rigidly at attention, his left arm behind his back, and his right arm bent away from his body, kind of in a 'come and get me' gesture. Might Guy grinned ever so slightly and Rayu assumed his Swift Fist style. He thought desperately, _Come on, seal…if there was ever a time to work, that time is now! WORK!_

Tsunade yelled, "Go!" and both of the ninja in the arena jumped into action. Rayu jumped forward, hoping to catch Guy off guard. However, by the time Rayu crossed to two-foot section separating him and Guy, the older ninja was no longer there. Rayu was shocked, but slipped immediately into his defensive posture. The older ninja struck out at Rayu…from behind him.

Rayu heard the faint whisper of wind, and back flipped over Might Guy. He tried a leg sweep, but Guy simply skipped over it like a jump rope. While Guy was in the air from jumping over Rayu's leg, Guy kicked out his back leg. Rayu was hit in the chest and felt as if a horse had kicked him. He stumbled back, trying to keep up his defense while Might Guy attacked him ferociously.

Guy's body was for the most part still visible. His legs, chest, and head were all visible, but his arms were not. He was punching so hard and moving so fast, that his arms were hardly even visible. Rayu was surprised that his forearms, which he was using to block the punches, were not broken by the amount of force that Guy was applying. However, at the same time, he knew his seal would protect him from most damage.

Guy only kept up those punches for maybe 5 seconds before he suddenly disappeared again. Rayu expected him to appear behind him again, and quickly turned. However, Guy was not there. Rayu then looked up, and saw that Guy had jumped into the air, and was throwing shuriken down at him. Rayu jumped out of their way, and then jumped at the older ninja.

Rayu tried several times to hit Guy in the air, but failed. Guy was just too fast and agile for him. Rayu growled in frustration as they both landed, about ten feet apart from each other. "Dang it!" Rayu half-yelled.

Rayu quickly initiated his jutsu, the "Doton: Inner Decapitation Skill", that he had used on Sarah. He disappeared underground, he heard Guy shuffle around uncertainly, and he quickly grabbed Guy through the ground. He tried to pull Guy under, but felt a hand clamp onto his, and was suddenly and painfully ripped out from the ground.

Rayu was flying through the air, painfully aware of how bad he was losing. If he kept it up, he wouldn't have any Chakra, and he would be too exhausted to fight the ANBU. He felt himself plummeting towards the earth, when an idea struck him. He went over the hand signs in his head as he did them. His hands moved so fast, the only assurance he had that he did the hand signs right was the result of his Jutsu. _Ram, Boar, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Ram, Dragon! Rei Blast Jutsu!_ He held the 'Dragon' hand sign longer, hoping his idea would work.

It did. Rayu remembered the difference between the Rei Blast in his memory…was smaller than the one he had previously unleashed. He had realized that he had held on to the 'Dragon' hand sign longer, as if he was charging a power blast. This time he held on to his 'Dragon' sign until he was sure he would hit Guy with the blast.

He was ten feet in the air when he extended his palms, and a 6-foot wide energy blast erupted inches away from the leather covering his palms. Rayu yelled, "Light Style: Rei Blast!" causing Guy's eyes to go wide. Guy tried to leap away, and was partly successful due to his immense speed. The energy itself did not touch Guy, but the impact of the super-hot energy knocked him off his feet and dazed him.

The energy left a crater roughly the size of a small house, and Rayu landed at the edge of it. Rayu had a follow up attack, and launched himself at the dazed Might Guy. Might Guy managed to stand, but he staggered and was unable to clear his head. Rayu landed directly in front of Guy, and yelled, "Swift Fist 16 Strike Crippling Combo!"

Rayu's style, the Swift Fist, was a deadly Taijutsu style, tied with the Iron Fist style. The Iron and Swift Fist styles are the same in the fact that they focus on strength to cause external damage and break bones. However, the Swift Fist style had a significant difference. The user of the Swift Fist strengthens mainly their _hands_, and increase their speed to efficiently use the Taijutsu attacks of the style. Their hands are so hard, strong and fast that two hits in the same area with even just the pinky finger can break a 4-inch thick wooden board. So, with the strongest part of the hand such as the side of the hand or even the fingertips, could break a cinderblock if they applied enough force. The Swift Fist style is not popular, seeing as it takes extreme dedication to make it work.

Rayu, even as he yelled his attack's name, decided that he shouldn't and wouldn't break any of Guy's bones. He wasn't that cruel, and he wanted to show off more moves. He really did not care about winning right then, just showing the crowd what he was capable of. Rayu curled all fingers except for his first two fingers of each hand, and attacked the dazed Jonin.

Rayu attacked quickly, but pulled his strikes so as not to seriously injure the Jonin. His right hand and left hand worked in coordination, attacking points simultaneously. Rayu hit Guy's left and right humerus' (top arm bone), both of his radius and ulna's (lower arm bones), both Femurs (thighbones), both carpals (wrist bones), both kneecaps, and both of his tibia's and fibula's (his lower leg bones his shinbones). His attack was over as quickly as it had begun.

Rayu made special attention to the force of his attack, and was happy that he had managed not to break or fracture a single bone. He had applied enough force though, that Might Guy would have killer bruises later. Guy collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain. He heard Rock Lee jump out of his seat and yell, "Master Guy!"

Rayu then quickly reached into his throwing star holsters, pulled out one throwing star, and with it between his fingers, made hand signs to a unique Jutsu that he had created himself. He threw the shuriken directly up into the air towards the sun and yelled, "Sun Shard Jutsu!"

Might Guy stood, recovering from the last attack, and quickly went into a defensive position. Might Guy looked around, nervously looking for the attack. This Jutsu was one similar to the Rei Blast, in the effect that no one had ever heard of it. Rayu hated giving away his secrets, but he could always come up with more. This Jutsu functioned similar to the Shadow Shuriken Clone Jutsu. It takes one Shuriken, and then clones it into solid bodies that do real damage, but with the Sun Shard Jutsu, the Shuriken are red-hot with energy transferred into them from the sun. They are a lot like smart missiles in the way that Rayu focused his Chakra, using it like a beacon to make the flaming shuriken home in on Might Guy.

Might Guy looked towards the sun, and was able to pick out forty or so throwing stars, while Rayu stood there, carefully observing what Guy would do. Rayu jumped backwards, maybe ten to fifteen feet, as the forty throwing stars homed in on Guy. As soon as the Shuriken were about to touch Guy, he yelled, "Leaf Spinning Violent Wind Combo!"

Guy spun, lashing out with his legs, kicking faster and harder than Rayu had thought possible. The result was that any throwing star that was about to touch him, was instantly flung away and deflected, leaving a pile of shuriken around him. He did not wait for Rayu to make the first move this time. He said, "Play time's over, kid. I am truly impressed by your technique…not many can do what you just did. But, now it's time to end this."

He then locked gazes with Rayu, and then disappeared.

Rayu realized that Might Guy was running so fast, he was not visible. A split nano-second later, Rayu was attacked. Might Guy had stopped right in front of Rayu, and then unleashed a combo. He yelled, "Lotus!"

Might Guy attacked, hands and feet moving so fast, Rayu had no chance. Rayu felt a flurry of blows on his unprotected body, and felt himself flying into the air due to the force of a kick. Might Guy followed him up, kicking harder, keeping Rayu flying vertically. Rayu was a good forty to fifty feet up in the air when Guy stopped. He suddenly found himself bound by bandages that sprang out of nowhere.

He tried to struggle, but felt Might Guy grab him securely, and Might Guy yelled, "Initial Lotus!"

Suddenly, they started to fall downwards. Rayu remembered this technique, and as it started, knew there was no way to get out of this technique without an ally. He was hurtling down towards the ground, spinning with such a force that they created a mini-whirlwind in their wake. Seconds later, Rayu's head impacted with the ground, and Might Guy sprang away. Might Guy was unharmed, but a huge cloud of dust and sand enveloped Rayu from the impact, obscuring everyone's view.

A proctor and medic both ran onto the field, but had to wait a few moments before they could see enough to find Rayu. Rayu was laying on his face, a small pool of blood gathering around his head. The proctor and medic both ran to him, and rolled him over onto his back. Rayu's eyes were open, but they were rolling into the back of his head.

The Medic quickly formed a few hand signs, and then put his hand onto Rayu's forehead, and Rayu's eyes returned to normal and then closed. The Medic muttered, "This kid is tough. I've taken in people who were hurt ten times worse than this when a Lotus technique was applied to them."

He quickly stopped the bleeding, which was coming from the top of Rayu's skull, and healed it. The medic then motioned for his team to bring the gurney as he turned to the proctor and said, "Inform Madame Hokage that Rayu Tazamaki is unable to continue the trials. I need to get him to the hospital and check for any internal injuries. A move like that can screw up a person's insides."

The Proctor teleported up into the Madame Hokage's box and informed her, as the Medical Team got ready to lift Rayu onto the gurney. As he was put onto the gurney, she announced to the crowd, "Rayu Tazamaki is unable to continue his trials. He made it far enough, however for us to be able to judge fairly and decide whose team he will be assigned to."

The Ninja around the stadium clapped, slowly at first, but then it became a storm of thunderous applause for the wounded Chunin. Rayu's eyes fluttered open, barely able to stay open very long. As he was carried out of the stadium, he waved weakly at Sarah. She returned his wave, tears in her eyes, and then turned and whispered to her Jonin leader.

Rayu felt something strange, almost like a surge of electric energy, in his head. It sparked, creating a pain in his head. He put a hand to his head, and winced. The Medic stopped, and asked, "What's wrong?"

The pain grew, feeling like his head was about to explode. He gritted out, "Don't…know."

The Medic looked worriedly down at him and said to his team, "We need to get him there as fast as possible. This could escalate into something bad."

Right as he finished, Rayu started to shake and twist, writhing in pain. The pain that had started in his head was now spreading through his body. The Medic who was not helping with the gurney tried to hold him down, and the crowd was growing silent again. Rayu was bucking like crazy, and the Medic had to tie him down. The medic yelled, "Let's go!" The Medical team sprinted out of the coliseum, going as fast as they dared.

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Well, that is the end of Chapter 7. Let me know what ya'll think. The next chapter will be up soon! Remember to review my chapters!


	8. Chapter 8: Happy Early Birthday!

Okay! Thanks so far for reading my story! This chapter is a little slow, and it has a little bit of romance. Something happens...maybe the chapter title will tell you. LOL.

Chapter 8: happy early birthday

"_Our path…our life…our way is a difficult one." A deep and sad voice said. This belonged to a father, teaching his son._

"_Why, daddy? Why does it have to be hard?" a higher pitch one asked. This voice belonged to a child._

_The father replied, "It's hard because we are the only ones who know the truth, Rayu. We walk the path that the world does not. We do not rely on ourselves. The world relies on themselves…on their own power, but we do not."_

_The boy nodded. He asked another question. "Daddy, can we help them?"_

_The father looked down at his son, his blue eyes twinkling in love and amazement. That a five year old should understand so much…was amazing. "Yes. You need to remember that it is not _our_ power. It is not _our_ doing. _HE_ gave it to us to do with it what we want. However, in that process, we twisted it and convinced ourselves it was our power. Do you know how we can help those who don't know?"_

_The boy, Rayu, nodded happily. "Yes! We can tell them!"_

_The father ruffled his son's blond hair affectionately. "Exactly. But how can we show them that what we say is true?"_

_Rayu thought it over, his simple yet effective mind mulling over the options, and finally came up with an answer. "We do things that they can't. We have power that they cannot. We show them the power and then when they ask why we have it, we tell them."_

_Rayu's father hugged his son, and was about to say something else when a voice called out. "Kenshin! Dinner's ready!"_

_Kenshin Tazamaki, Rayu's father, stood and said, "Let's go wash up."_

_Rayu nodded, took his father's hand, and walked inside of their house from the balcony that they were on. Kenshin yelled, "We're coming, Kimiko!" Rayu ran inside, leaving his father in the dust, excited and ready for dinner._

Groggily, Rayu Tazamaki's blue eyes opened. He blinked his eyes, trying to get them to focus. He sat up, lightheaded, and leaned up against a headboard. That is when it hit him. He looked around, realizing he was in an all-white room. He had an IV hooked into the back of his hand, several monitors at the left side of his bed, two chairs and a table to his right, an open window off to his right, a door straight ahead of him, and he was in a hospital bed.

He was puzzled, partly because he had no shirt on (usually they put you in a hospital gown instead of letting go around shirtless), and partly because of his dream. It was similar to his memory flash that he had when he saved Sarah at the coliseum, and the people in the dream were the same.

He smiled, and tears sprang to his eyes as he realized his parent's names. Hikage Kenshin Tazamaki and Sakura Tazamaki. His father and mother. He was startled out of his reverie by the door to his room opening, and he hastily pulled the covers up to cover his bare chest.

He smiled as he saw Sarah come in. She had changed her clothes, and was now wearing a blue jean skirt that came down to her knees, a light pink sleeveless shirt, and had her hair brushed nicely back and straightened. He realized that she was not wearing her ninja sandal boots, but white high heels. As she entered the room, he smelled an intoxicating scent and realized it must be Sarah's perfume.

Her face was gentle, hesitant, and caring. He saw that she had put on makeup but only a little. She had a gentle pink/red lipstick that caused her lips to seem fuller and more seductive, and the facial makeup she had on simply accented her natural beauty. She hesitantly shut the solid wood door behind her, and she cleared her throat nervously.

He spoke first. "Sarah…hey. How are you?"

She smiled, and his heart raced. He desperately hoped that she did not look at his heart monitor to the left. She walked over to the chair that was to his right, and sat down. He had to bite his tongue to keep his eyes from wandering over all the bare skin that she had. She crossed her smooth and shapely legs, and he kicked himself mentally for even looking.

She spoke, her words soft but easy to hear. "The doctors said that you were going through some kind of shock, saying that your body had trouble adapting to its new abilities. What abilities were they talking about, Rayu?"

Rayu had kept his head following her, in hopes that she wouldn't see his seal. He wouldn't lie to her if she asked, but he had hoped she wouldn't ask. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from her, facing the door. She gasped as she noticed the seal, and she asked, "What is it?"

Rayu smiled and turned back towards her. "It's a generational seal. One that grants me four abilities."

Sarah looked at him surprised. "What abilities do you have?" She seemed excited, and he could understand her excitement. It was not very often that someone you know is given abnormal abilities.

He told her simply. "The four layer seal grants me four abilities. The first, is multiplying my normal Chakra. It doubles the amount of Chakra I would normally have and doubles it. The more my 'normal' Chakra would grow, that amount would be doubled. The second, grants me the ability to see anywhere from 3-5 seconds into the future, which is how I was able to save you in the coliseum. My third ability is not really _my_ ability. The third seal protects me from most of the damage I would normally receive, which is why I'm not more beat up from the trials."

Sarah did a double take, realizing that he only had a few bruises when he should have had many more. "W-What's the fourth?" She asked, amazed at these new abilities.

He paused, trying to remember, and then said, "The seal's name means precognition, but in reality, it simply slows time around me. I can move freely at my regular speed, but everything else is slowed down. I found all this out this afternoon, and I found out my fourth seal's ability when I fell to the ground after our match. Do you remember it?"

Sarah nodded and said, "So that's why you were holding your neck. Your seal was growing when that happened?"

He nodded and said, "Yes. My first sections of my seal, the first three, I found this morning. Then, after our match, the fourth layer was activated. Does that answer your question?"

She nodded, sat back in the chair, and he returned the covers to their original position around his waist. She had already seen him without his shirt, and the covers were getting hot. He turned to her, and he noticed that she flushed a slight red and pretended to look around the room. "Sarah, I've got to ask you a question."

She looked at him, curious. "Go ahead."

"I've just had a dream, and while I was saving you in the arena, I also had a memory flash. Does the title _Hikage_ ring a bell? Or how about the name Kenshin Tazamaki, or Kimiko Tazamaki?" He asked. He knew that she knew, but he wanted her to realize that his memory was coming back. Slowly, but it was still coming back.

She looked at him, shocked as she heard the words Hikage, Kenshin Tazamaki, and Kimiko Tazamaki. "You…you're starting to remember? You can remember your father and mother?"

He nodded and smiled. "I know what my father looks like, and I know my mother's name. What I don't know…is why in my memory, my father was referred to as Hikage. I don't know what it means. It sounds like the 'Hokage', which means 'Fire Shadow', who rules the Leaf Village. So…what does _Hi_kage mean?"

Sarah paled and said, "Don't ask me. I can't say it."

He knew that she wouldn't budge, but it seemed like she was afraid, so he asked, "Sarah…what's wrong?"

She stood, and turned her back to him. She looked out the hospital window at the fading sun. He shifted in bed, and was about to try to stand and walk over to her, when he realized that he had no clothes but his underwear on. He stayed in bed and said softly, "Sarah. Tell me what's wrong. Why are you scared?"

She turned to him and he saw tears in her eyes. "Rayu…I just can't tell you yet. It brings back memories that are just too painful. I'm sorry." She whispered the last part, and he felt his heart break. He patted the bed, shifting enough to give her room to sit down next to him.

"Sarah, please come here. I'm sorry. I won't ask about it again, I swear. I'm just curious, and I apologize. Forgive me…please." He asked, and she walked over to him.

He scooted over, since he was lying down and taking up most of the bed, as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She sniffled, and she said, "No…it's not your fault. It's just that I can't…not yet."

A tear spilled from her left eye and rolled down her cheek. Rayu wiped away the tear with his right hand, and she tensed as she felt the bare skin of his palm and fingers on her cheek. He enjoyed the contact, but felt it necessary to remove his hand. He started to take away his hand, but both of her hands grabbed his and held it to her face. She had her eyes closed, and she rubbed his hand on her smooth face.

His breath was coming out shallowly, and he felt something stirring in him. He had butterflies, he was lightheaded, and it felt like his blood was on fire. He reached out with his free hand, and ran it through her silky hair. "Rayu…please, just hold me."

He complied as she lowered herself down next to him. She lay down on her side, facing him, and she locked gazes with him. He hugged her, held her, and felt her warm skin on his. They hugged, and he could feel her heartbeat, strong and steady. Her right arm lowered from his shoulders and traced his bare skin with her fingers. Her fingers ran down the front of his chest, causing him to shiver.

She asked softly, "Your scars…they're smaller. What happened?"

He ran a few fingers across her face and said, "Madame Hokage offered to heal them. I accepted this morning. I felt like my internal scars have healed well, and I felt that I shouldn't carry around big nasty scars. She healed them enough so that I will always have them, like I want, but so that they aren't so nasty and disgusting."

She said, "It looks better, but those scars still give me the goose bumps, thinking about what they did to you."

Rayu nodded absentmindedly and watched as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, making it so that the only light in the room was a dim light above his bed. Rayu smiled and said, "Visiting hours are almost over, I bet."

She sighed. "Yeah. But…if you want, I could stay." She sounded hopeful, and he knew that if he didn't send her home, he might make a mistake. However, her next words shocked him. "After all…tomorrow is your birthday. Maybe they'll let me stay with you."

"It's my birthday tomorrow?" he asked, disbelievingly.

She nodded, and she pressed closer to him. He felt intoxicated, and he spoke what was on his mind…and his heart. "Sarah, I…I love you. I want to keep that promise of betrothal if it's all right with you."

She was shocked, and she gave a contented half sighed, "Rayu…"

He could tell she was happy, and he hugged her. "I know I'm younger than you, but I…I do love you. I would die for you, I would lie for you, and I would do whatever you asked, just for you. If you were to become a criminal, I would go with you. If you were to leave, become a missing Nin, (missing ninja are hunted down for leaving their villages. They are known as traitors.) I would go with you and protect you. I would give up my soul for yours; I would follow you to hell and back. Nothing could separate me from you."

They embraced and she whispered into his ear. Her warm breath caressed his skin, and he shivered as she spoke. "Rayu…I love you too. I want nothing more in this world than to be your wife…your mate…your helper. You may be younger than I am, but not by much. I would also do whatever it took to stay with you. I would do whatever you needed, whatever you wanted, whatever was necessary to keep us together."

They looked at each other, their blue eyes meeting. Their faces drew close until there was only a millimeter or so of air between their lips. She whispered, "Rayu? Are we…?" she trailed off, and he smiled. Their eyes remained locked together, and they remained in an embrace.

Their eyes told each other what they needed to know. With their consenting gazes, their lips touched. Their lips were closed, but just the contact of their lips together sent excitement and adrenaline through them. They heard a gasp and they both sat up, staring at a nurse who had just walked in.

All three people turned red, and the nurse moved aside, revealing Tsunade and Shizune. Tsunade's eyebrows shot up, and Shizune coughed and turned her head away, most likely trying to hide a laugh and/or a smile. Tsunade strode in, trying not to laugh, and flicked on the light switch. The room lit up, casting the shadows into non-existence.

Rayu blinked twice, and Sarah bowed her head to the Hokage. "Madame Tsunade! I was just…talking…with Rayu." She said, blushing a super dark red.

Shizune stepped into the room, having composed herself, and spoke. "We simply came by to tell Rayu of how the conference went and what squad he's been assigned to."

Rayu looked at them, eager to hear of his new assignment. Tsunade smiled and said, "Every Jonin in the room agreed that you did a phenomenal job, much better than even I expected. Your seal did wonders. Might Guy believes that you had great potential."

Rayu beamed, ecstatic at being praised by Might Guy. "He was adamant in having you in his squad so he could train you himself, but in the end, he realized that he didn't _need_ you in his squad. He sure put up a fuss though." Tsunade said, chuckling as she remembered the incident.

Shizune spoke up next, saying, "There was not a person in that room that did not want you on their squad. When a large number were questioned why, almost all of them wanted to teach such a promising student as you. Moreover, an even larger number of those we asked said that females within their squad had specifically asked their leaders to watch you. Apparently, in your years at the Academy, you were quite the heartthrob."

Rayu's eyes widened, unaware that he had been such a hit with the women. He had never been asked out, and he never asked a single girl out, mainly because he thought they did not like him. He felt Sarah's body tense a little, and Rayu whispered in her ear, "Don't worry. I never went out with anyone. I've never had a girlfriend."

She relaxed a bit, but he could tell she was still a little jealous. Tsunade picked up where Shizune left off. "Anyway, it took quite a bit of discussion to finally pick the squads that you would actually work well in. Let me tell you, I cannot wait to go to bed tonight. My brain is thoroughly fried." She laughed at this and Shizune nodded. Tsunade continued. "So…the big decision is over, and you will report to the squad early in the morning after you are discharged. You can stay the night in the lovely hospital bed and report for duty in training field 4 at 8:00 tomorrow morning."

Rayu nodded, and then after a moment of waiting, burst out, "What squad?"

Tsunade laughed and said, "Alright. The squad you've been assigned to is fairly balanced, except in the fact that they're all girls and you'll be outnumbered." Sarah's shoulders drooped, fearing that Rayu would be snatched away.

Tsunade smiled as she noticed and said, "You've been assigned to Squad 28, headed by Jonin Tamari Kalichenka."

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise, and Rayu laughed. "Great! Now I can-MMMMM!"

He was interrupted as Sarah flung herself at him, locking their lips together. Tsunade coughed, the nurse chuckled, and Shizune giggled. Tsunade addressed Rayu as she walked out of the door. "Well, we'll leave you two to your _talking_. Good luck Rayu." Rayu, occupied by Sarah, raised a hand and gave her a thumbs-up.

She walked out of the room, followed by the nurse and Shizune, all three giggling like little girls. They shut the door behind them, leaving Sarah and Rayu to themselves. A few moments later, Sarah came up for breath. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed with excitement. Rayu blinked a couple of times, shook his head and breathed out, "Wow."

Sarah giggled, and said, "Rayu, this is so great! We'll train together, we'll grow stronger together, and we'll be great!"

Rayu considered this as he was laying back, putting his hands behind his head. "Are you sure? What about your teammates Rachel and Lana? How can you be sure that they won't enjoy this as much as you?"

Sarah thought about this and said, "Well, first I'll do this." She kneeled on the bed, kicked off her high-heels, and smiled. She straddled his waist and planted a long juicy kiss on his lips, having her lips partially open. She withdrew after five seconds and said, "And then, I'm going to tell them to keep their hands and anything else of theirs to themselves. They'll listen, or they'll have to deal with me."

Rayu was dizzy. He had never experienced anything like that before. Once again, he said, "Wow."

Sarah got off him, and lay next to him. "Are you hungry?" She asked.

He had to think about that. "No. I am not hungry. Are you?"

She shook her head and said, "I ate before I came. Are you tired?"

"A little bit, yeah. But after that kiss, I am more awake than asleep. Are you tired?" He asked and put his arm around her shoulders.

She nestled closer to him, and his heart raced as her head rested on his bare chest. "Well, I'm sure that we'll fall asleep in no time. And if we don't…we'll think of something to do. Do you mind if I get under the covers?"

He blushed and said, "Well, normally I wouldn't mind, but they took my clothes. I'm only in my underwear."

She blushed as well, and said, "Well, I can just go ask for a blanket from the front desk. Hold on."

She got up, slipped on her high heels, and walked out of the room. She returned a few minutes later with a thick blanket. She shut the door and turned off the light. The dim light above Rayu's bed was still on, though, and created just enough light to see. She made her way to the bed, took of her shoes again and climbed onto the bed. She spoke softly as she lay next to him and situated the blanket over them. "I called my parents and told them that I wouldn't be coming home tonight. I also informed Tamari that I would be late."

"Why would you be late?" Rayu asked, as they snuggled together under the covers.

"I'm going to be late because I usually arrive at seven o'clock in the morning." She told him, and she wrapped her arm around his chest. She wiggled her fingers on his skin and asked, "Are you ticklish?"

He smiled and lied. "Nope. Not at all-Wahahahahaha!" She interrupted him, tickling his sides and his belly. He wiggled and tried to squirm away, but seeing as the bed was so small, he couldn't. So, he got the bright idea to attack back. He tickled her sides, making her stop and putting her at his mercy. She giggled, and then suddenly the nurse that had walked in earlier, walked in again. She flicked on the light, startling Rayu and Sarah and causing both of them to bolt upright.

The nurse seemed a little embarrassed, but said, "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are now over. You're going to have to leave."

Sarah did not move. "I want to stay with him. It's his birthday tomorrow, and I want to give him an early birthday present."

The nurse shook her head. "Sorry, sweetie, but the only way you can stay is if you get special permission."

Sarah looked downcast and she started to get out of the bed. Rayu stopped her, and then said to the nurse, "What if I get her permission from the Hokage?"

The nurse looked flustered, remembering how close the Hokage and Rayu seemed. "That would be fine. But, you're in no condition to get up and make a call."

Rayu smiled and said, "Actually I am."

He pulled the IV out of the back of his hand and stood. He kept the sheets about him, so as not to reveal his undergarment. "If you could please lend me a phone, I'll get Sarah permission."

The nurse pointed to a phone right outside his room, and he made it to the phone. He remembered the Hokage's office number and called it. After two rings, he heard Shizune answer the phone.

"Hello, this is Shizune, aide to the Hokage. What do you need?" She asked.

"Shizune, hello. This is Rayu Tazamaki." He said, allowing himself a bit of small talk.

"Ah, Rayu, how are you? Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, well, no. You see, I was hoping to get special permission from Tsunade to get Sarah to spend the night here at the hospital." Rayu said, and crossed his fingers.

"Hold on a moment. Let me inform Tsunade." Shizune said, and then the line was put on hold. He held the phone away from his mouth and said to the nurse, "She's asking the Hokage now."

The nurse nodded nervously. Tsunade picked up the phone. "Rayu? Are you still there?"

"Yes, Madame Hokage." Rayu answered.

"Good. Put the nurse on the phone please." Tsunade requested.

Rayu smiled, handed the phone to the nurse and said, "It's the Hokage."

The nurse timidly picked up the phone. "Hello?" She asked.

The nurse then listened to the Hokage, uttering the occasional 'Yes ma'am'. Two minutes later, the Nurse hung up the phone, and turned to Rayu. She seemed a little timid as she said, "She can stay. Have a good night." She walked away, stiff-backed.

Rayu shuffled into his room and shut the door behind him. "Well, it's arranged. You can stay with me for tonight." He said, telling her as she sat nervously on the edge of the bed. He shut off the light and walked towards the bed.

She sighed, happy. "Well, that's great!"

Rayu got into bed, situated his covers, and then waited for Sarah to get comfortable. She lay next to him, hugging him through the sheets. They entwined their limbs together through the sheets, and he kissed her on the lips. "Good night Sarah. I love you."

She smiled, eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I love you, too. Sweet dreams…" She said. She giggled, causing Rayu to ask her why she was giggling.

She answered him in a whisper. "I was thinking about saying something to you. But I decided not to because it sounded funny."

Rayu smiled and said, "Say it. Tell me what you were going to say."

She complied, and with a seductive tone that sent shivers of excitement down his spine, she said, "Good night and sleep tight. Happy early birthday, my love." She giggled a little, but Rayu did not. He said, "I like it. Sounds…good."

He put his mouth to his ear, and he felt her shiver in excitement as he whispered into her ear. "Good night, my love. Dream well."

They held each other tightly, both of them content. Eventually, Sarah fell asleep. Rayu did not. He stayed awake, listening to her breathing, listening to her heartbeat. He caressed her skin, and she gave small sighs of pleasure as he caressed her neck, arms, and sides. He didn't sleep at all that night, but stayed awake, wistfully hoping that they could stay locked together for all eternity.

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Well, what do ya think? I know it's a bit mushy, but it's important in developing and furthering the story. Next chapter will be up soon, so review and let me know what you guys think!


	9. Chapter 9: First day back on the Job!

Sorry this is so late! For the review: Endorse means to 'Give one's support openly'

Thanks for the reviews...but could i get more opinions and reviews please? I am currently on CHapter twenty, and I won't go much further without people reviewing.

Chapter 9: First Day Back On the Job!

Rayu lay awake, and looked at a clock that he had not noticed was in the room until that morning. The clock read '6:55'. He pressed a button next to his bed, summoning a nurse. A minute later, a nurse appeared, quietly entering the room. She had been warned that there were two people in this room.

She whispered, "What can I do for you?"

Rayu smiled and said, "Um…I need my clothes."

She smiled back and replied, "They were washed last night. Let me go get them for ya'."

He nodded, and Sarah stirred as the nurse left. She opened her eyes, slightly glazed over from waking from a delightful dream. "Rayu? Oh…I'm so glad what happened wasn't a dream."

He smiled. "Morning, love."

She smiled back as the nurse came in with his clothes, and she flushed slightly, wondering what the nurse was thinking. Rayu accepted the clothes, and then said, "Um, could you turn around real quick?" The nurse shut the door behind her, and Sarah nodded. It was a little strange, having a girl in the same bed as him, but he enjoyed it.

He quickly slipped into his pants, shirt, kunai and shuriken holsters, gloves, shoes, headband, and then said, "You can turn around now, love."

Sarah smiled as she turned around and asked, "Are you going to call me that all the time?"

Rayu seemed puzzled and answered her question with one of his own. "Don't you like it?"

She answered quickly. "Of course I do. I love it. I was just wondering if you were only going to be calling me that in our own private moments, or in public."

Rayu answered, smiling. "Well, I thought I would call you that no matter where you are. People are going to find out either way."

She nodded, got out of bed, and straightened her skirt. She brushed through her hair with her fingers, and said, "Let's get you discharged. I need to go home and change into training clothes."

He nodded, and as she slipped on her high heels and walked past him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her through the air. She giggled, and he set her down. "Whoa. Settle down. I just woke up."

Rayu laughed softly and replied, "Sorry."

She walked ahead of him, guiding him to the Hospitals' front desk. Rayu took it from there and said, "I'm Rayu Tazamaki. I need to sign some discharge papers."

The male nurse at the front desk nodded, ruffled through some papers, and then pulled out a small stack. "Just fill those out and you can be on your way."

Rayu quickly tried to count the papers and found thirty. "Gosh this is going to take forever." He grumbled, but then an idea hit him.

He asked, "Do you have a pen?"

The man nodded and handed him a pen. Rayu then performed the proper hand signs and said, "Kage bunshin no Jutsu." Twenty-nine Rayu's popped up on the scene, each with a pen in hand. They all took a paper and within two minutes, they were done. Rayu disengaged the Shadow Clones and gave the paperwork back to the man behind the counter, who accepted it with wide-open eyes.

Rayu and Sarah walked out of the hospital and Sarah said, "Why don't you come with my to my parents house. You've only met my mother, and I'm sure you're hungry."

As if on cue, Rayu's stomach growled. "Yeah, I guess I am hungry. Well, let's rock and roll."

She slid her arm into his, and they walked out onto the streets of Konoha. The streets weren't too crowded this early, and the air had a slight chill to it. Rayu followed Sarah for about ten minutes, and when they finally reached an apartment complex, Sarah pulled on his arm and teasingly said, "This way, love."

Rayu laughed. Sarah pushed a buzzer, and Rayu heard her mother's voice answer. "Hello?"

Sarah spoke, saying, "Rayu and I are here. We came by for me to get changed and hopefully for some breakfast."

Her mother laughed and said, "Well, you're right on time. I figured you would come home for breakfast so I made a big one. Come on up."

The door to the apartment complex unlocked, and Rayu and Sarah walked inside. Rayu followed Sarah to an elevator, and they went to the fourth floor. It was quiet, and Rayu was nervous for some strange reason. He cleared his throat a couple of times before they reached the right door, and Sarah glanced at him knowingly. "Nervous, love?" She asked, causing Rayu to smile once more.

"A little. I could face a Jonin and not feel this nervous." He said, and wiped a little bit of sweat away from his face.

"Don't be. They don't bite. I think." She teased him as she knocked on the door.

The door opened, revealing an attractive brown-haired thirty-year old woman. She had dark brown eyes, a kind face, slim lips, her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore an apron over blue jeans and a red tee shirt. "Welcome home Sarah! Oh, and welcome Rayu!"

She allowed them in, and Rayu nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt. The apartment had one big entry/living room, a medium sized kitchen to the left, with a table and chairs, and a hallway that branched off to several rooms. The carpet was a light brown shag carpet, and the walls were a cream color. Sarah's mother walked into the Kitchen and tapped her husband, who was at the kitchen table reading a newspaper and eating, on the shoulder and whispered into his ear. Sarah turned to Rayu and said, "I'm going to get changed. Make yourself at home."

Sarah went into the hallway straight ahead, and entered the first room on the left. Rayu turned and entered the kitchen shyly. The father put down the newspaper, and greeted Rayu. He had a kind and gentle face, brown hair, and ice blue eyes. He had a little bit of stubble on his face, but it didn't detract from a clean look. He was wearing a business suit and he had a briefcase next to him on the floor.

"Welcome, Rayu. We've heard a lot about you over the years! It's nice to finally meet you!" The father stood, set down his newspaper, and shook Rayu's hand. "It's nice to meet you too, sir. I'm sorry for the unexpected visit."

The man laughed and said, "Not at all. Please sit."

Rayu liked him, and sat down at rectangular table (it could sit up to five people easily), next the man. The man pushed away his breakfast plate and asked, "So, you're a ninja?"

Rayu smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm a Chunin, like Sarah. As a matter of fact, I was just reassigned to her squad."

The father's eyebrows rose up and said, "Reassigned? Why? What happened to your squad?"

Rayu's throat went dry. He bowed his head a little and said, "My five man squad, including my leader, was killed last month. I was the only survivor."

The kitchen went silent, and the mother set a plate of food in front of Rayu. "Eat up. You're going to need all the food you can get if you're going to keep up with Tamari's training schedule." She then walked out of the kitchen and towards Sarah's bedroom. She knocked, and then entered the bedroom, leaving the two males in the kitchen.

The father put a hand on Rayu's shoulder, and said, "I'm so sorry. I…I wasn't told by Sarah."

Rayu nodded and smiled sadly. "It's fine. It's not your fault. However, let's move on to happier subjects. What do you do?"

The father, immediately launching into a whole story, said, "Oh, well, I'm a top business executive for the Kashimoto Company! I'm right under the vice-president, and I run the whole communications department. It's quite a stressful job, but I love it!"

Sarah had just finished changing into her training clothes. She made sure to wear her mid-thigh length red sports shorts, a white tank top with her sports bra underneath, kunai and shuriken holsters, her ninja sandal boots, and she had just started to brush her hair. She heard a knock on her door and said, "Come in!"

She turned towards the door, and saw her mother come into the room. She went back to her brushing, and said, "Hey mom. Good morning."

Her mother didn't smile. "Morning. Your breakfast is ready. But, I have a few questions for you about last night."

Sarah felt her stomach twist, and she didn't know why, but she became extremely nervous. "Okay."

"Did the nurse roll in an extra cot for you so you could be comfortable?" She asked, fully prepared to complain to the hospital if they hadn't.

"No. I didn't sleep on a cot." Sarah said, and felt her heart rate accelerate. She knew where this was going, but she wouldn't lie to her mother.

Her mother was surprised. "Where did you sleep? In a chair?"

Sarah cleared her throat and felt her face turn a light red. "I…I slept in Rayu's bed."

Her mother's mouth opened a little. "With Rayu in the bed?"

Sarah nodded and continued to brush her hair, unable to stop. "Sarah! What in the world? I thought we raised you better than that!" Her mother's voice rose, and both female's were unaware that the men in the kitchen could hear now.

Rayu and Sarah's father, whose name was Tom; both stopped eating their breakfast as soon as they heard that outburst. Tom exchanged a look with Rayu and said, "What?"

Rayu's eyes widened, realizing his mistake. He never should have let her into the bed. He should have sent her home, or had the nurse roll in a cot! He hit his forehead protector with his palm. "I have a feeling we're going to find out. " Rayu said, and he was right.

They heard Sarah's voice rise. "Mother! I slept with him, yes, but not like that! We didn't have sex! We were both clothed. Well, mostly." Rayu cringed as he heard, 'Well, mostly.'

Tom kept a straight face, not wanting to pass judgment so quickly. He really like Rayu, and Sarah was his baby, so he would try to keep an open mind. They heard the mother, Karen, say loudly, "Mostly?! What do you mean by that?"

They could hear Sarah say softly, "They didn't give him a hospital gown. I asked about it when I went to call you guys and I found out they had a shortage, so he was just in his underwear."

Tom cringed now, aware that this would not be good. He looked at Rayu, and saw a tear in Rayu's eye. Rayu looked at Tom and said, "Sir, we didn't do anything. I swear I did not compromise Sarah's honor or purity. I love her."

Tom nodded and said, "Let's just listen."

Karen yelled, "Just in his underwear? Sarah! Just because you were betrothed when you were little doesn't mean that you can sleep in his bed, even if he has clothing on!"

Sarah yelled back, "We didn't do anything! I slept on top of the covers that he was sleeping under, and then I had a blanket over me! Besides, Rayu told me he loves me! He said he wants to keep the betrothal promise and that he wants to marry me!"

What Karen said next, shocked Tom. It caused Rayu to feel nauseous, and it made Sarah cry. "Oh please! Sarah, use your head! Young men his age don't know what love is! They have only one thing on their mind! Sex is the only thing they think about!"

Sarah sobbed out, "Rayu's not like that! Rayu loves me!"

Rayu stood and walked out of the kitchen. He felt sick, and he felt like he was going to pass out. Tom stood, and put a hand on Rayu's shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Rayu shook his head, and leaned against a wall. Tom walked over to Sarah's room as Karen spoke again. This time, she wasn't as loud, but Rayu and Tom could still hear her. "Either you ask for Rayu to be transferred to a different squad, or I will."

Tom opened the door, entered the room, and said, "You will do no such thing, Karen."

"Tom! What are you doing?" Karen asked, surprised.

"I'm stopping you from ruining your relationship with your daughter. You're overreacting. Rayu has assured me that they didn't do anything." Tom replied.

Karen scoffed. "You'd believe him?"

Tom nodded and said, "Yes, I do believe him. What they did was spur of the moment. Two teenagers acting on impulse. I admit it was inappropriate, and they should have thought it through better than they did, I don't blame them."

Tom's previous sentence suddenly hit her. "Wait. Tom, you and Rayu both heard us?"

Rayu heard Tom reply, "Yes. We both heard you."

Sarah and Karen gasped, and Karen ran out of the room and looked at Rayu. Sarah followed, tears in her eyes. Rayu was still leaning against the wall for support, and he looked at Karen. His face revealed his feelings. He felt sick, betrayed, untrusted, shocked, and weakened.

Sarah ran to his side, and put her head on his shoulder. He stood straighter, a bit of his strength flowing back into him. He wiped her tears away gently with his fingertips and turned to Tom. "Thank you, Mr. Tom. I apologize for not thinking things through. I assure you, I will think these kinds of things through for now on."

Tom nodded and said, "Rayu, why don't you grab yours and Sarah's breakfast and go to your training session."

Rayu nodded and went back into the kitchen. He quickly dumped his breakfast into a napkin, and did the same with Sarah's. He tied the napkins up so the food wouldn't fall out, took Sarah by the shoulders, and opened the front door. Rayu turned to the two adults and, remembering his manners, bowed. "Thank you for the breakfast, Mrs. Karen. And thank you, Mr. Tom for the delightful conversation."

Then, he turned and left, Sarah sobbing on his shoulder. They took the elevator back down to the lobby, and then walked out of the apartment complex. Sarah had composed herself while Rayu held her comfortingly.

"Rayu…I'm so sorry you had to hear that." She said, meeting his eyes with her own. They were walking down the roads of Konoha once more, but this time they were headed for Training Field 4.

He simply hugged her tight. They stopped walking as Rayu took her by her bare shoulders, and turned her to face him. He spoke gently, but with a serious tone. "Sarah, you do know that I love you, right?"

She nodded as she looked into his face. The morning sun was up, and it was basking them in a yellow glow. He had a small smile on his face. "I would never use you. I do love you, and nothing could stop that. I would never use you just a tool for me to 'get some', I'm with you because I love you and without you life seems meaningless."

Fresh tears rolled down her eyes as she hugged him in a fierce embrace. He had spoken those words straight from his heart, and he meant every word. She sniffed, and said, "Rayu, I love you so much. I know you would never use me that way. I love you."

He held her for a moment longer and then said, "We need to get to the training field. Let's go." He wiped the tears from her eyes again, and he handed her breakfast to her. "Eat up."

They ate their breakfast as they walked to the training field. They walked in silence, but they walked close together, skin touching, to show their support of each other. By the time they found the training field, it was 8:05. The training field was simply a section of the woods. This section had a large clearing, roughly about 200 yards wide, a large pond and many trees with targets.

Sarah held Rayu's hand as she guided him to the meeting spot, where they found Tamari, Lana, and Rachel stretching. Rayu's eyes grew wide, and he tried not to stare as he noticed that Lana and Rachel both wore as little clothing as possible. They wore mid-riff revealing matching tank tops, short shorts, and the only other things they were wearing were their kunai and shuriken holsters and their shoes.

Rachel's shoulder-length blond hair was tied back into a ponytail, and her tank top was pink. Her shorts were black, and as her body was well defined and in shape. She stopped stretching as she saw Sarah and Rayu appear, and she giggled. With a twinkle in her green eyes, she poked Lana, who was also wearing her blonde hair back in a ponytail. Lana, her outfit even skimpier than Rachel's, straightened and waved her hand flirtatiously at Rayu. Her light blue tank top hugged her form, and came up well past her belly. Her shorts were low cut around her hips, and the legs ended two to three inches down her thighs. Her tanned skin was firm, and her body in shape, and she flaunted it shamelessly.

Sarah, compared to them, looked so covered up; she might as well have been an Eskimo. Rayu laughed at the thought. He waved back at the girls, trying to be polite, and tried to keep his eyes on their faces and not on their bodies. Sarah glared at her teammates. She turned to Rayu and said, "Stay here."

Tamari walked towards them, in the same outfit as yesterday. Her form-fitting mesh armor hugged her form and flattered her, and her trench coat made her seem modest. She smiled, and then rolled her eyes as Sarah brushed by her, determined to talk to her teammates. Tamari shook Rayu's hand and said, "Welcome to Squad 28."

Rayu laughed and motioned to the girls, who were now being scolded by Sarah. "Yeah, some welcome."

Tamari shook her head and said, "Sorry about them, but it looks like you'll be training with a bunch of scantily clad females."

She then cast a meaningful look at Sarah, and then back at Rayu. "Usually young men would drop to the floor in ecstasy when they see girls like Lana and Rachel. Then again, there seems to be something else going on."

Sarah walked over, a victorious smile on her face. She bowed to Tamari and said, "Good morning Tamari-sensei."

Tamari nodded her greeting and said, "Aright then! Sarah and Rayu, join Lana and Rachel in their stretches. After you're all done, we'll work on training together as a unit."

Rayu and Sarah nodded, and then walked over to Lana and Rachel. Rayu introduced himself to the girls, and then started his stretches. While they stretched, Rachel Nara spoke. "So…you and Sarah are betrothed?"

Rayu nodded. He started to stretch his legs, standing with his legs in a 'V' and then touching his toes. "Yes. We've been betrothed since I was born."

Lana spoke up next. "How old are you? You look like you're seventeen or eighteen."

Rayu laughed as he stretched. "I just turned sixteen today."

Lana and Rachel giggled. "So, you were betrothed to Rayu when you were, like, a year old?"

Sarah brushed her red hair out of her face and smiled. "Yes. Yes I was."

Rayu addressed all three girls. "So, I don't know your guys' fighting styles. What are they?"

Sarah spoke first. "Mine is a pretty well rounded style, if you could call it that. It's known as the Drunken Fist style."

Rayu nodded. "The art of unpredictability. You attack in strange, seemingly uncoordinated attacks, and keep your opponent on their toes."

Sarah smiled. "Yep. That's it."

They all sat down, and spread their legs in a 'V'. They all bent forwards, trying to touch their toes. "What about you, Rachel?"

She spoke; face almost completely to the ground. "I don't really have a style. I try to attack from a distance, using my Shadow Possession technique so that way they cannot move, and Sarah and Lana can attack them. I'm more of a Ninjutsu girl."

Rayu nodded. "Okay. What about you, Lana?"

Lana stretched, every movement sensuous and graceful. "My Taijutsu style is my own unique style that I developed three years ago. Ever since I saw a member of the Hyuga Clan fight, I tried to learn their style but found that without their Byakugan, I can't target right."

Rayu searched his mind for knowledge of the Gentle Fist style. "Oh! The Hyuga's special type of hand-to-hand combat style! It is passed down from generation to generation. It causes damage by releasing Chakra from the Chakra hole in your hand, directly damaging the opponents Inner Coils System. The Inner Coils System are pathways all inside your body, most residing alongside arteries that the Chakra flows through. It is used in combination with the Byakugan since the inner coils system pathways cannot be seen without some kind of special eyes. Even the most subtle blow can prove to be devastating, including stopping the heart with a one-fingered poke."

Lana nodded and said, "But, without the Byakugan, you run the risk of killing someone if you don't know what you're doing. So, I took another aspect of the Hyuga style. They expel Chakra from their body where they are about to be attacked, stopping the blow from making contact. So, I took that aspect, made sure that I enhanced my Chakra, and I use that to tire out my opponent. The, I follow in with a strike to the heart if I want to kill them. Usually though, they give up."

Rayu nodded and said, "Wow. That technique requires extreme Chakra control. I'm impressed."

Lana smiled and said seductively, "Why thank you, Rayu."

Rayu rolled his eyes and finished stretching without talking. They all stood and Sarah said, "We need to go to Tamari to find out what she wants us to do next."

They all complied, and walked over to where they last saw Tamari. They only found an open area with no one there. Sarah, Lana and Rachel all smiled, knowing what was coming. They all yelled, "Ambush!"

They ducked, but Rayu didn't. A kunai flew towards his head, from the side where he would not be able to see. His seal burned slightly, and time slowed. He looked around, and saw four kunai in the air. One was flying towards him, and three to where each of the girls had been standing previously. The Kunai knives crawled through the air, and Rayu grabbed the one that was aimed at his head. He then swung around and flung the knife at the middle kunai that had been flung at Rachel.

Time returned to its normal flow, and the kunai he threw collided with the knife he had targeted. Both knives that had collided flew off to the sides and knocked the other knives off target, burying in tree trunks away from him and the girls. Lana and Rachel looked at him with awe, and Sarah looked at him with pride.

Tamari emerged from a clump of bushes, grinning. "I guess I should have told you that I'll ambush you occasionally to keep you on your toes."

Rayu smiled and said, "I don't think it was a problem."

Tamari nodded. "You took care of that nicely Rayu."

Sarah and the rest of the girls stood. "What do you want us to do now that we're done stretching?"

Tamari considered this for a moment and then said, "You'll fight each other. It's said the only real way to get to know a person is to fight them. So, we'll have Lana and Rachel fight Rayu so that you get used to his style. Sarah, you've fought him already so there's no need for you to fight him."

Sarah nodded, relieved. She didn't feel like fighting today. "First off, we'll have Lana and Rayu fight."

Rayu nodded and Lana stepped forward. Sarah, Temari and Rachel all backed off to the side, allowing the fighters more room.

"Just because you're a hunk, don't think that I'll hold back." Lana teased, and Rayu tried not to react to it. Sarah was having a hard enough time without getting jealous.

"And just because you're my new teammate, and a girl, don't think that I will hold back." He replied. In all reality, he knew he had to hold back because if he didn't, he could seriously hurt her.

They both bowed to each other, and Rayu slipped into his fighting form. He leaned back slightly, and moved his right leg out ahead of the rest of his body and put his hands out with his palms facing Lana. Lana simply stood still, knees slightly parted and bent. Tamari smiled and yelled, "Go!"

Lana stayed still while Rayu bolted towards her, even though they were only six feet apart. Rayu punched out at her, and his fist impacted with a blue circle of Chakra. He then kicked out with his right leg. Lana saw it and once again blocked it with a burst of her Chakra. He tried several more attacks, each one unsuccessful.

He backed off, growling in fake frustration. He had seen a weakness, but he didn't want her to know that. He wanted to make sure that he was right, though. So, he ran at her and yelled, "Swift Fist 16 Strike Crippling Combo!"

He attacked the same spots that he did with Might Guy, but each attack was blocked by a fiery blue circle of Chakra. He back-flipped away, and in the air, activated his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. This time though, he made sure that he was silent and that a clone appeared away from him. Tamari, Sarah, and Rachel all saw the clone sneak around behind Lana and they watched with interest.

Rayu repeated his 16-strike combo three more times. Each time, he would back flip away and create another clone until there were four clones creating a semi-circle behind Lana. Finally, Rayu yelled, "Rasengan".

He yelled it loudly, masking the fact that his clones yelled it too. Lana simply shook her finger at him and said, "Haven't you learned anything? You can't touch me, silly!"

He smiled as he ran at her. He stopped before he reached her halfway though, and Tamari yelled, "Lana! You lose!"

Lana turned to her and whined, "What? How?"

Sarah spoke up next. "Look behind you!"

Lana did, and squeaked in surprise as she saw four clones holding a Rasengan in each of their hands, each orb of swirling air next to her head. She backed off and said, "How? How did you find out?"

Rayu spoke up, disengaging his clones. "Well, it's actually a matter of knowledge and observation. I knew from what you said that your technique was incomplete because you didn't have the Byakugan. Now, the Byakugan allows the user to see a full 360 degrees. Byakugan also has the ability to view the inner coil system of a person's body, and in advanced cases, the Chakra holes. Because of this, Byakugan is used in combination with Hyuuga's Style Taijutsu. Attacking the inner organs, disabling or even killing their opponent, without even hitting them. You didn't have the Byakugan, and I noticed that you had to see the attack I sent at you in order to block it. So, every time I back-flipped away from you, I would activate a Shadow Clone and he would sneak behind you. So, that's how I beat you. But, you did a great job. At first I thought that I would be unable to hit you at all."

Lana mocked a pout and stuck out her lower lip. "Awww, shucks. Does the loser get a kiss?"

Sarah walked over to her as she closed her eyes and puckered up. Sarah bopped her over the head, and then pulled Lana away from Rayu by the ear. "I don't think so, Lana!"

Rachel and Tamari laughed. Tamari said, "Not bad for your first day back on the job, Rayu. Now you get to face Rachel."

Rachel walked into the center of the little clearing, and made sure that she was a good distance away from Rayu. Rayu and Rachel both bowed to each other, and Rayu decided that he would allow her to last a bit longer, just to see what kind of Ninjutsu she had.

Tamari yelled, "Go!" and the match was on.

Rachel immediately made the _Rat_ hand sign, and her shadow extended. Rayu recognized the Nara Clan's signature Jutsu, Shadow Possession. It gave the user the ability to control the enemy's movement by connecting his or her own shadow to the target's shadow. The opponent is then forced to move exactly like the user. To get the opponent in their shadow, the user is able to change his shadows shape and extend it. This technique was originally meant to delay the enemy. Rayu jumped out of the Shadow's path, and her shadow slowly returned to its normal shape.

Rayu exchanged smiles with her, and then he decided to have a little fun. He jumped in a path where Rachel's Shadow Possession Technique could snare him, and motioned for her to come and get him. She smiled, made the 'Rat' hand sign again, and her shadow lunged forward. Rayu quickly initiated his Shadow Clone Jutsu, and instead of Rachel's shadow ensnaring him, it ensnared a Shadow Clone. Rachel laughed, disappointed at being thwarted.

Rayu's clone mimicked her every move, making his clone look like a buffoon. Then, the shadow that connected the clone and Rachel, sprouted hands. Rayu backed off and watched. The Shadow's hands snaked their way up the Clone's body, and then suddenly clamped around its neck. The clone struggled for a moment, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rayu shivered, and decided he did not want to be caught by that particular Jutsu.

Rayu then jumped away, out of the Shadow's path. He quickly initiated his Sun Shard Jutsu, and threw a Shuriken into the air. Rayu put his hands together, palms flat against each other, in concentration. His channeled his Chakra, and soon forty flaming Shuriken flew at Rachel.

Rachel used the simplest Jutsu in the book: The Substitution Jutsu. Rayu laughed at being thwarted by a simple Jutsu. Its function is implied in the name. The user switches his or her body with a plant, animal or anything for that matter. This is used to escape dangerous situations such as many sharp projectiles being flung at the person. Sometimes you can even damage your opponent with this attack. Rachel substituted herself for a small leaf, and she appeared behind Rayu.

The small leaf that appeared where Rachel had been standing was pierced and caught on fire. Rayu ignored it and quickly jumped into the sky, using his Chakra to propel him at least forty feet into the air. He saw Rachel, and then threw another Shuriken as he started to fall back towards the ground. Rachel did the same thing as before, using the Art of Substitution. This time, though, when the small smoke cleared, he saw a startled bird.

He realized what it meant, and immediately tried to twist to avoid it. Rachel had substituted with a bird that was up in the air, close to Rayu, and she attacked him. He met her attacks head on, being as gentle as possible. They exchanged kicks and punches as they fell towards the earth, and then Rachel grabbed Rayu by his shirt.

She spun him around, so that his back was facing her, and then spun him upside down. She quickly crisscrossed her legs around his throat, making him unable to move his head, and then grabbed his legs and held them still. Rayu plummeted towards the earth, head-first, and realized that he had only one option. His arms were still free, just barely, and he might be able to protect himself.

He simply extended his hands above his head, making sure they were palm down, and waited for the inevitable impact. It came suddenly, with the sound of a cannon. Dust was thrown up, shortly obscuring everyone's vision. When it cleared, everyone was surprised to see Rayu's hands sunk into the solid dirt, and his head no more than an inch above the ground. Rachel fell off, and Rayu crouched with his hands still stuck in the dirt. He yanked out his hands, flexed them, and then stood.

His hands, more durable and stronger than anyone else's could take that blow easily. They only smarted a little, and he knew that would go away quickly. He advanced on Rachel, who was scuttling backwards, trying to stand. He quickly initiated a combo and yelled, "Swift Fist Cannon!"

He ran at her and picked her up in one smooth motion. As soon as she was upright, he attacked. He pulled his punches so they were little more than nudges, with just enough force to cause her to stumble backwards. He hit her right shoulder, her left shoulder, and her stomach, pushing her backwards until she ended up with her back to a tree. Finally, with a motion so fast that no one could see, he thrust his hand like a knife, and buried his hand completely into the tree.

Rachel had her eyes closed, and she was trembling out of fear of Rayu. He seemed so frighteningly powerful, and he could have killed her if he had misjudged that thrust. Rachel edged away from Rayu, and the rest of the girls ran over. Tamari grabbed her by the arms, and Rachel embraced her, shaking in fear. Rayu slowly pulled his hand from the tree trunk, unaware that Tamari, Rachel, Lana, and even Sarah were looking at him strangely.

He shook his stinging hand, amazed. He had only tried that move twice, but he had never been able to actually puncture a tree before. He turned around, and found himself staring at four disbelieving girls. Tamari let go of Rachel and turned to the girls. "Girls, go wait over there." She pointed to a clump of shrubs that were pretty far away.

As soon as the girls were over at the shrubs, Tamari looked at him, fury on her face. "What were you doing?"

Rayu was puzzled. "I was practicing with Rachel."

Tamari glared at him, and he felt unsure of what he had done wrong. "You…could have killed her."

Rayu shook his head and answered without emotion. "No, I couldn't have. The Swift Fist Style is nothing but precision and accuracy. I judged my moves before I even made them. I never even hurt her."

Tamari ground her teeth together. "I don't care. You are not even a Special Jonin yet, and you act like you had complete control! I can tell you right now that you do _not_. You are the most overconfident and arrogant _child_ I have ever met!"

Rayu stepped back, feeling as if he had just been hit. He tried his best to remain calm, but felt his temper rising. His voice was even, cold, and unflinching. "My last Jonin leader made _sure_ that I had control before he would let me unleash anything in the Swift Fist Style. I had to stick with other styles until I had enough control. I practiced for five years, gaining control over my body. My last leader knew what he was doing, and he knew that my abilities were up to par and that I was in complete control."

Tamari, too infuriated to back down, growled, "Well maybe he misjudged you. Maybe you should work on your control more, because I don't want you to do that ever again until I say you're ready."

Rayu trembled in rage. He was angry that she would even dishonor his dead sensei, a man who was like a father. A man, who died for his village. He took a step towards her and she flinched. He spoke, low and menacing. "Don't…ever…insult him again. You are nothing compared to him. I could most likely take you out faster than I did to Lana. You wouldn't stand a chance."

He quickly initiated his Shadow Clone Jutsu, causing only one Shadow clone to appear. The Shadow clone walked over to a wide tree and stood there with his back to it. Rayu walked over to him and turned to Tamari who was about to say something. "Shut up and watch. You want to know how much control I have? Well here's a demonstration." Rayu said this with hatred dripping from every word.

He roared out, "Swift Fist Destruction!"

He pulled out all the stops, unleashing his full speed and strength. His hands were a blur, unable to be seen. The only thing that they could see was the Clone, who cried out in pain with every hit, thrashing like he was being electrocuted. The attack was over in three seconds, and the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Rayu turned back to Tamari who stared in disbelief at the tree. Rayu said, "That attack breaks _every_ bone in an opponent's body. Where a regular person has over two hundred, that person then has over four hundred. Now, if you do not mind, I am leaving. I don't need to be around people who don't believe in my abilities or my past teachers abilities."

With that, Rayu rocketed off into the trees, expelling Chakra from his body in a massive amount. He shot off at speeds close to 100 miles an hour, heading away from the training area. He heard Sarah yell his name, but not even then did he turn back. He felt betrayed once more. No one believed in him. Not Sarah's mother, not Sarah's teacher…maybe he should have just stayed at home and become a farmer. With these thoughts echoing in his head, he let his feet carry him wherever they would.

_It seems all I am destined for is pain. All I get is betrayal. Maybe it would be better if I ceased to exist._ He thought. The idea of suicide bounced around his head, as he headed off towards the morning sun.

Sarah, Lana, and Rachel all stayed huddled in their little group at the shrubs. Sarah and Lana comforted Rachel while trying to listen to what Tamari and Rayu were saying. Rachel simply hid her face in Lana's shoulder, and Lana and Sarah listened in on the conversation.Sarah heard Tamari hiss, "You…could have killed her."

Rayu shook his head and calmly replied. "No, I couldn't have. The Swift Fist Style is nothing but precision and accuracy. I judged my moves before I even made them. I never even hurt her."

"I don't care. You are not even a Special Jonin yet, and you act like you had complete control! I can tell you right now that you do _not_. You are the most overconfident and arrogant _child_ I have ever met!" Tamari seemed infuriated, and Sarah was afraid of what Tamari would do. She was also afraid of what Rayu would do.

She saw Rayu take a step back, shocked at what he heard. She could tell he was angry, but his voice was as cold as steel. "My last Jonin leader made _sure_ that I had control before he would let me unleash anything in the Swift Fist Style. I had to stick with other styles until I had enough control. I practiced for five years, gaining control over my body. My last leader knew what he was doing, and he knew that my abilities were up to par and that I was in complete control."

"Well maybe he misjudged you. Maybe you should work on your control more, because I don't want you to do that ever again until I say you're ready." Tamari said, causing Sarah to gasp. She could not believe Tamari would insult Rayu's deceased instructor!

She saw Rayu tremble. He took a step towards Tamari, and she saw Tamari flinch. _Tamari is afraid of Rayu…_ She thought.

She heard Rayu speak in a low voice. "Don't…ever…insult him again. You are nothing compared to him. I could most likely take you out faster than I did to Lana. You wouldn't stand a chance."

Those words sent a cold shiver down Sarah's spine. She had not seen Rayu's angry side before. She saw him activate a Shadow Clone, and the clone walked over to a tree and put his back to it. Rayu walked over to his clone self and then turned to Tamari.

"Shut up and watch. You want to know how much control I have? Well here's a demonstration." The hatred in his voice was almost physical.

Rayu roared, "Swift Fist Destruction!"

Sarah's eyes grew wide as she saw Rayu's arms disappear. She saw the Clone Rayu buck and thrash as he was being hit, and then three seconds later, the attack was done. The clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Rayu turned back to Tamari. She heard him say, "That attack breaks _every_ bone in an opponent's body. Where a regular person has over two hundred, that person then has over four hundred. Now, if you do not mind, I am leaving. I don't need to be around people who don't believe in my abilities or my past teachers abilities."

With a blue burst of Chakra, Rayu jumped into the trees, flying faster than she had ever seen. Sarah ran after him and yelled, "RAYU!"

She knew he was gone, though, and that he would not come back. She would have to find him. She turned to Tamari, who was staring at the tree where Rayu's clone had been. Sarah walked over to Tamari and asked, "What' wrong?"

Tamari answered slowly. "Look at the tree. Look carefully."

Sarah did, but did not see anything. "I don't see anything." She said.

Tamari walked over to the tree, and ran a hand over the trunk. "There are dents…dents that basically outline the human bone structure. He hit every bone."

Sarah looked closer, and saw that Tamari was right. Rayu had applied so much force that when the bone broke, it dented the tree. Sarah shivered as she thought about it. Rayu had hit every bone. The arms, the ribs, legs, hips, shoulders, neck, spine, fingers, wrists, and so on. There was a basic outline of a human skeleton on the tree trunk.

Sarah turned to Tamari and said, "I have to go find Rayu."

Tamari shook her head stubbornly. "Leave him be. When he's ready to apologize, he can come back."

Sarah actually yelled at her leader. Tamari was overreacting, and was being stupid. "Apologize for what? He did nothing wrong! You are overreacting! If anything, you should apologize to him for yelling at him for no reason! Plus, you had no reason to insult his instructor! Didn't you read the file that the Hokage gave you?"

Tamari shook her head. She had not read the file. Sarah sighed. "I suggest that you read it."

Then, Sarah ran off, going as fast as she could. She didn't know what Rayu was going to do…and the thought of the unknown scared her. She had to find him.

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Wow. 13 pages, and we're done with chapter 9. Let me know what you guys think of it! Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10: Reconciliation

Get ready…this chapter is furthering a romance/relationship. Not as much as chapter 8, but only a tiny bit. However, this creates a 'springboard' that I need. In addition, everyone's favorite 'Handsome Devil of Konoha' and his squad makes a guest appearance.

Slaps self on forehead and mutters to self: Why do you keep bringing guests in to this? Idiot! Gosh…

Chapter 10: Reconciliation

Rayu's sense of time was distorted. He knew that early that morning, probably around 8:30, he had run away from the Leader of Squad 28. He had been lost in his own world, his mind separated from his body. His body performed its functions, but his mind was in turmoil.

He knew he was running, jumping from tree branch to tree branch, from rooftop to rooftop, but he was too occupied by the thoughts in his head. He knew he had been running for some time, but he did not know for how long. He had been thinking of suicide, of somehow killing himself, but that though was discarded.

His life was screwed up, yes, and in his own mind, it was suitable to commit suicide. He had seen his mentor murdered and tortured, he had seen his friends tortured, he had been tortured, and no one believed in him. However, then a small voice in his head said, _that is not true. Sarah believes in you. Sarah loves you. Your parents love you. Your parents believe in you._

He tried to ignore the voice, but he was unable to. Whenever he thought about ending his life, her smiling face would flash into his mind. If he took his life, he would only cause her pain. He would hurt her. He might cause her to hurt herself, and that was something he would not do.

His mind was confused, gathering flashes of his life together with his teammates. It gathered flashes of his biological father's face and voice. It gathered bits of his travel with Sarah as a small boy. His mind was a jumble of images, and he became aware that his feet had stopped.

His mind connected back with his body, and he looked around. He found himself outside of Sarah's parent's apartment complex. He glared at his feet, and then laughed as he realized he was staring at his feet. He then decided to not even bother with the buzzer, and instead, he located the window to Sarah's parent's apartment.

He jumped at it, and used his Chakra stick onto the wall until he opened the window. He stepped in through the window, and found himself in Sarah's bedroom. He walked out of her room, and into the entry/living room. Tom and Karen were talking softly, backs facing Rayu.

Rayu cleared his throat, causing them to jump. They whirled around and let out a relieved sigh when they saw it was Rayu. Tom spoke first. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Sarah went to practice three hours ago?"

Rayu hid his surprise. _I have been running around for two and a half hours?_ He thought.

He answered, "I…uh…I kind of left practice unexpectedly."

Tom and Karen both said, "Oh."

There was uncomfortable silence for a minute before Rayu said, "I came to let you know that you might get your wish, Mrs. Karen. I don't think that Sarah and I will be in the same squad for very long if at all anymore."

Karen asked, surprised, "Why? What happened?"

"Tamari doesn't have faith in my abilities, me as a person, and she insulted my deceased instructor, and so I decided I don't need to be around someone like that." Rayu answered.

Tom shook his head. "Those things don't sound like something Tamari would do."

Rayu shrugged. "Well, that's the case. She did, and I think I'm going to ask for a squad transfer."

Karen shook her head and walked up to him. "Don't you dare. I was overreacting earlier, I admit it, and I blew things out of proportion. I was wrong to tell her to ask for you to be transferred. It will only hurt her, and if you're as serious as she thinks you are about your relationship, you won't do it."

Rayu's eyebrows shot up. He had not expected this reaction. "I would still see her, not as often, but still pretty often."

Tom spoke up this time. "Not if you have an extended mission. She might not see you for months on end! I thought you said you would think these things over?"

Rayu bowed his head, ashamed. "Y-you're right. I…I didn't think these things through."

Tom put a hand on Rayu's shoulder. "Relax and think things over. Do not rush into things. Find a place where you can sit in silence and think of all the consequences of any action you take. That is the best course of action."

Rayu nodded and said, "Thank you. I think I will do just that. I apologize for barging in unexpectedly."

Tom smiled. "It's all right. How did you get in anyway?"

Rayu replied, embarrassed. "I, uh, came through Sarah's window."

Karen raised an eyebrow, and she said, "Well, this time, use the front door please."

Rayu nodded and left through the front door. He shut the door behind him, and decided to skip the elevator. He looked around, and saw an open window at the end of the hallway, and smiled. He ran, as fast as he could, and then dove through the open window.

He flew out of the window, over the street, and rolled into a standing position on the flat roof of a house across the street. He laughed and then went on his way, headed for the perfect quiet place where he used to sit and think all of the time.

Rayu arrived at the farm, avoiding his parents, and heading straight to the gravesite of what he used to think was his sister. The afternoon light filtered through the tree branches as he walked over to the grave. He spoke as he drew close to it.

"Hey. Hah, it feels strange, talking to an empty grave. I found out that whom I used to think is my dead sister, is now my future wife. Strange. But, I can't talk to anyone because I was a fool and I left Sarah at the training field." He knelt in front of the grave, chuckling. He was in front of an empty grave, but he felt like he was talking to a sister who he had never had. If anything else, he could talk to thin air, just to spill his guts.

"I couldn't control my anger, and I ran off, away from her. I was so stupid, but I was not thinking clearly. I have no one to talk to…except an empty grave." He said.

A familiar voice answered him. "I'm here. You can tell me everything. I wasn't there for a long time, but you can share everything with me."

He looked up and found Sarah resting her chin in her hands, with her elbows resting on the grey headstone. She had a beautiful smile on her face, and a ray of light shone down onto her hair, casting a reddish aura around her. He rose, and smiled. "Sarah. How long have you been here?"

She stood and walked around the headstone. "I've been here for about half an hour. I figured you would come here eventually. People tend to come back to familiar places." She walked up to him, their eyes meeting, and gently put her right hand on his face.

He smiled, but was shocked when she slapped him. It was not too hard, but hard enough to send him stumbling back. She said, "That's for not coming back after I yelled after you."

Rayu rubbed his reddened cheek and said, "Well, I guess I deserved that."

She put her hand on his cheek again, and then kissed the red area. "All better?" She asked, and he chuckled.

"You have something wrong with you." He laughed.

She only smiled and they sat down together. "Tamari overreacted, Rayu. I apologize for her actions. You see, she views us as her kids, since she has none and is unable to have any. She's overprotective of us." She said this and took Rayu's right hand in her left. She then removed his leather glove and they held hands.

Rayu shook his head. "I know. I was overreacting myself. I just couldn't control my anger."

He felt Sarah shiver, and he looked at her. "What?"

She looked at him and said, "You scared Tamari, and I've never seen her afraid before. You scared all of us. It was like you were someone else completely when you were angry."

Rayu leaned up against her and said, "I'm sorry. I really am."

She leaned back up against him and said, "It's okay. I think it was just a chain reaction. It built up when we saw Rachel wrap you up, and you landed. I still can't believe you didn't break your hands. Anyway, we were all in shock when you just shook it off. Then, when you walked towards Rachel, it looked like you were a predator stalking its prey."

Rayu listened intently. He was interested in Sarah's opinion, because then he would know how the others viewed him. "Go on."

She looked into his eyes. "We were all afraid as soon as you yelled out the attack. We knew you were strong and fast, but we didn't realize how much so until today. It was frightening when you pulled Rachel to her feet, and then when you attacked her I honestly had doubts if you were going to hurt her or not. It was like some kind of nightmare when we saw her backed up to that tree. When your hand flew towards her head, we all thought that you would end up hurting her."

Sarah shivered again, and he noticed goose bumps on her arms. He said, "I shouldn't have performed that until I got to know you and your team better, when you guys could trust me better."

Sarah shook her head. "Rayu, I should have trusted you more. I should have known you never would have hurt her."

They embraced, and Rayu held her tightly. "I think I'll apologize to Tamari. What kind of person would I be if I didn't apologize for my mistake?" Rayu mused.

Sarah giggled. "You are your father's son. "

He tensed, and she stopped, aware of what she said, "Rayu, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said…" She trailed off as she looked at him.

He was staring straight ahead, unaware of her even speaking. Her words had triggered a release of knowledge from his memories.

(Flashback)

_Kimiko Tazamaki's long pink hair was fluttering in the wind. Her green eyes were on her son, who was sitting on a park bench with her. She had an almond shaped face, and gentle features. She was the most beautiful woman in the village. She was looking at her son with caring but stern eyes. They were waiting for Kenshin to arrive. Rayu had just stolen and broken another boy's toy, and he was going to be talked to by his father._

_A man in a long white robe, the front open, and a white tunic and white pants walked up the hill. His blond hair was being blown over his eyes by the wind, half masking his emotions. Rayu quaked as he saw his father, Kenshin, walk towards them. He sat down next to his son, and addressed his wife._

"_What's the matter? All you said was that he needed to be talked to." He asked, and Rayu looked down at his hands. He was five years old at the time, and he was stubborn. He refused to speak._

_Kimiko spoke softly. "Rayu stole young Draken Tunnanai's toy, and then he broke it. He refuses to apologize."_

_Kenshin sighed. "Rayu, did you steal and break his toy?"_

_His son didn't look at him. Kenshin got down on his knees in front of his son and held him so that their gazes were locked. "Did you break his toy?"_

_Rayu nodded and said, "Yes."_

"_Why won't you apologize then?" The Hikage asked._

"_I…I shouldn't have to! I'm the Hikage's son! The Hikage's son doesn't apologize!" He said stubbornly._

_Kenshin sighed. "Rayu…did you know that I apologize to people even though I'm their leader?"_

_Rayu's eyes went as wide as saucers. "What? Why?"_

_Kenshin brushed his son's blond hair out of his eyes. "Because, I'm their leader and I'm supposed to be an example to them. So, what kind of leader would I be if I stole and ruined someone's painting, and I didn't apologize to them and show the people around me that that's what they're supposed to do as well?"_

_Rayu put his small fingers to his chin and thought for a moment. He looked up into the overcast sky and said, "I guess you would be a bad example."_

_Kenshin nodded. "Just because you have power, and just because you're important, doesn't mean that you don't have to act like everyone else. You are just like everyone else, and you need to be the example to the people that you'll someday be the leader of. Every time you do something, think, what kind of example am I being? What would HE do?"_

_That last sentence really affected Rayu. A tear ran down his small cheek and he said, "Did I hurt Him? I heard that when you do something wrong, you hurt Him. I didn't mean to hurt Him…"_

_His father wiped away the tear and sadly said, "Remember to ask yourself…what would He do?"_

_Rayu nodded and said, "I'm going to go apologize to Draken. Thank you Daddy."_

_Kimiko and Kenshin hugged Rayu and Kimiko said, "You are your father's son."_

_Rayu smiled, "I'm going to be a great leader just like my daddy."_

(End Flashback)

Rayu suddenly shook his head, clearing his head. Tears filled his eyes and he said, "I am my father's son."

Sarah was in front of him, her arms on his shoulders. She had a worried expression on her face. "Rayu! What happened?"

Rayu looked at her, happy. He told her of his memory, elated at this resurfaced experience. By the time he was done, she was smiling. "Yes. That was definitely your parents. They were always like that."

Something else hit Rayu. "In my memory…Draken Tunnanai was mentioned. Draken Tunnanai was from that village!" His heart beat faster and Sarah looked astounded.

"Draken Tunnanai…he was from your squad, right?" She asked.

Rayu nodded and stood. "Yes…he was. He was a great guy, he excelled in Taijutsu and could kick butt like a Jonin." He chuckled, and she smiled. He stretched and groaned out, "Let's see if we can find Tamari. If we can't find her in about half an hour, then we can stop for something to eat and then continue."

Sarah stood, wiping grass off her legs and her red sport shorts. "Okay. Let's hope she's still at the training field. She might have dismissed practice already."

"Then let's hurry and find out." He said, and he put his glove back on his right hand. He then grabbed her hand and together they ran off, heading towards Training Field #4.

They found Tamari, Rachel, and Lana all sitting on a log, eating sack lunches. Rayu and Sarah walked slowly up to them, giving them time to notice they were there before speaking. Sarah had linked arms with Rayu, and gently squeezed their arms together, signaling her support.

Tamari looked up, a smug smile of satisfaction on her face. Rayu tried not to roll his eyes as he realized that she thought she had waited him out. Rachel kept her eyes on her food, trying not to look at Rayu, and Lana gave a small smile of welcome. Rayu was about to speak when Tamari interrupted him.

"Came crawling back, huh? Couldn't stand not being included? Well guess what? You can't be included until you apologize to Rachel, and then to me, because you acted way out of line. Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" She crossed her arms and stood, eyes squinted as if she was so superior to Rayu. _I bet I could take her out before she knew what hit her._ He thought.

He then mentally hit himself and scolded himself. _Idiot! That kind of attitude got you in this situation in the first place! Now, just be humble and submit yourself._

"You're perfectly right, Tamari. I was wrong." He said, and then turned to Rachel as Tamari's jaw dropped. He guessed she wasn't expecting a repentant attitude. "Rachel…I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking, and I could have injured you. I should have been more careful, and I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

Rachel looked up from her sandwich, and mumbled shyly, "It's okay. We overreacted, and I don't blame you. It was practice, and that is what we were supposed to do. I forgive you."

He smiled, thanked her, and then turned to the still shocked Tamari. He bowed his head a little, showing the fact that she was over him, and that he submitted. He spoke softly, keeping his submissive attitude. "Tamari-sensei, I was wrong to question your judgment, and I was wrong to loose my temper and yell at you. I'm sorry I disrespected you, and I ask for your forgiveness."

It was quiet for a moment, and Rayu wondered what was going on, when he found himself wrapped up in a bear hug. He heard Sarah, Lana, and Rachel giggle, and he found himself uncomfortably close to Tamari's face. "I forgive you. I was wrong in questioning your accuracy, and insulting your former sensei's ability to judge. Can you forgive me?" She asked.

He nodded and she put him down. "Well, I think that you are the strongest on our team right now. We should focus on bringing up the other three's strengths up to your level. You get to help me train them, and at the same time, we'll teach you things that you don't know yet. You share with us, and we'll share with you." She said.

He nodded, and turned to the other three girls. "That sounds great." He replied, mulling over the decision. He didn't want to be the strongest one on the squad, because he had never been the strongest. He didn't like the feeling of people looking up to him…it made him uncomfortable. However, he would accept the role as it came, and help build up his new teammates.

They all stood around, and then Rayu asked, "Well, um, Sarah and I didn't get to pack a lunch, so would you mind if we went to get some?"

Tamari mulled it over, and then said, "Sure. But be back in an hour. When you get back, Rayu, I'll let you instruct the girls in how you were trained. You'll be teaching me as well, and we'll be building up everyone's strength. Okay?"

Rayu nodded. "That's okay with me. You guys had better be ready to some difficult training though. I'm going to drill you like my instructor drilled me, and let me tell you, he didn't go easy on anyone."

The girls moaned, and Rayu motioned for Sarah to follow him. "Sarah, I know this great Ramen place that we can go to for a quick meal. Want to go there?"

She nodded and walked up to him. "Sure. I'm so hungry I could eat anything."

He smiled. "Well then, let's go."

They jumped into the trees once more, and before long, they were well out of earshot. Sarah spoke as they jumped through the branches, ducking below a low hanging vine. "Rayu…how tough is it to get up to your power level?"

Rayu answered, doing a fancy twist-hop over a bird nest. "I won't lie to you: it's really hard. However, in about six months, you guys should be at my level. Well, minus the extra abilities and massive amount of Chakra."

She nodded and they were silent for a little while, both wanting to say more than they felt comfortable with saying. Finally, Rayu said, "Sarah, we're planning on getting married right?" He risked a look at Sarah, and noticed her flush red.

She stammered a reply. "Y-y-yes." He quickly fixed his eyes on the next tree branch, and used it as a springboard to jump to the next.

He sighed, unsure of how to voice what he was feeling. "I am so young, but at the same time, I feel older than I really am. I feel like I'm 18, or 19, instead of being 16 years old. I feel like I'm ready to rush into marriage blindly, ready to do anything to keep you by my side. But at the same time, I feel like if we were to get married even at the legal age of 16, I feel like I would have nothing to offer you. I don't have a home inside the city that I can call my own. I am paid a decent amount from the missions, enough to buy a house, but I always give that money to my family. They don't need it and often try to refuse it, but I feel like I need to repay them for everything they've done. I feel if I take away that money, and use it for myself, I betray my family, but if I don't I won't have anything to offer you." He was about to continue when he heard a faint _'fwish' _sound, and he saw Sarah stumble and fall off of her tree branch.

He jumped after her, yelling, "Sarah!"

He was just about to grab her and save her, when he heard the _'fwish'_ sound again, and then Sarah disappeared. He landed on the forest floor, 50 feet below, kunai in hand and desperately searching for any sign of Sarah. He heard the sound yet again, and he jumped towards it, which came from behind him.

He was about to attack, when he noticed Rock Lee standing there, Sarah in his arms. Her eyes were wide with panic, unsure of what had just taken place. Rock Lee smiled, set Sarah on her feet, and did the signature 'thumbs-up and shine your teeth' routine that his Sensei did.

"My apologies. I heard you professing your bold love to this beautiful Kunoichi as you were passing, and I had to make a statement about your bold bloom of youth." He said this with a fiery passion that reminded him of Might Guy. Sarah backed away, breathing heavily. Rayu gently took her by her shoulders and hugged her. He felt rattled…unsure of what to do or say. He felt like he had almost lost her.

She let out a couple of shaky breaths, and Rayu turned to Rock Lee. He knew he meant no harm and was trying to help, so he kept his temper in check. "Please, go ahead."

The boy smiled brightly, happy to have someone who was actually interested in his opinion. He opened his mouth to speak, when a sharp female voice yelled his name. It was echoed by a crisp, superior male voice. Milliseconds later, Neji Hyuga and Tenten appeared next to Lee, having dropped from the trees above.

Tenten, wearing her pink sleeveless vest and brown Capri fabric pants, was still only a Genin. She had her brown hair pulled up into two buns on the top of her head, giving her a tough look. Her blue Genin headband was on her forehead, and it seemed soaked. Her brown eyes were stern, and her tan skin was glistening with sweat. She was breathing heavily, and she half gasped out, "Lee! What are you doing? Why did you leave training?" She then noticed Rayu and Sarah, and got silent.

Neji Hyuga was the exact opposite of Tenten. He was calm, hardly even perspiring, and cool. His pupil-less grey eyes seemed to stare in all directions at once, and Rayu made sure that he made no signs of being intimidated. His brown headband was dry, and his lengthy brown hair wasn't ruffled. His bandaged right arm was crossed over his left bare arm, over his tan shirt. His brown shorts stopped at the knees, revealing his right bandaged leg and left bare leg. Rayu shook his head. _What is with these people and using bandage wraps for looks and decoration?_ He thought. Neji kept his face straight, and Rayu guessed that he was trying to figure out what Rayu was thinking.

Rayu simply bowed, releasing Sarah. "Good afternoon."

Tenten bowed, and Neji inclined his head. Rock Lee turned to Tenten and said, "I…I had to speak to the two who are blooming with the power of youth!"

Tenten shook her head in frustration. "Fine…hurry up. We've got 40 laps still to go."

Neji held up a hand, signaling for them to stop for a moment. "You…Tazamaki." He said, making a type of 'I'm boss around here' tone.

Rayu simply smiled, resisting the urge to punch him. "Yes?" He replied.

Neji made a serious face that showed that he was about to say something important. "You have got more skill than I've seen in most Chunin. I would look forward to a sparring match with you."

Rayu kept his features neutral and bowed. "I would be honored, but maybe later. I am busy, regrettably. Perhaps at a later time?"

Neji nodded and turned to Tenten. "Let's go." He then said over his shoulder to Lee, "Lee…hurry up and get back to training as soon as you're done." He then rocketed off with Tenten, heading back up into the trees. While Rock Lee and Neji were both Chunin, Neji was undoubtedly top dog of the newly appointed Chunin, even over his teammate.

Rock Lee turned back to the still shocked Sarah and expectant Rayu. He smiled even wider and continued his thought as if he hadn't been interrupted. "You are anxious to show your devotion to your blossoming flower without burdening your parents?" He asked.

Rayu nodded. "Yes…" He said, unsure of where this was going.

"Perhaps, you could build the house with your own hands! Prove that you are truly worthy of her love!" He proposed vigorously, clenching a bandaged fist. He seemed extremely passionate about everything, and Rayu struggled not to laugh.

He bowed respectfully. "Thank you very much for your advice, Rock Lee. I will consider it."

Rock Lee bowed back and then turned to Sarah. "I apologize once more." He jumped into the trees, disappearing with a blur of motion.

Rayu was dumbfounded. _He could be onto something here. I could gradually take funds, taking only what I need for bare minimum, and slowly build a house that would show Sarah that I can provide for her!_ He thought, excited.

Sarah shook her head, and asked wonderingly, "What in the world just happened?"

Rayu smiled. "I was just given an idea. Come on…let's go eat."

She nodded, confused. He grabbed her by the hand, and they jumped into the trees. It only took a moment for Sarah to remember what Rayu had said before the whole 'Rock Lee' incident.

"Rayu…we're both young, but I know what you mean. I know exactly how you feel. I…I want to get married right now, right this minute, but we are not prepared for it yet. While we have no house, we get plenty of money from our missions. We could save up together, save up for a house and possessions. It shouldn't take too long to become financially stable." She said, and he could tell she was as nervous as he was about the subject.

They continued to hold hands while they jumped, and Rayu took a deep breath. "I want to build our house, Sarah. I will build it exactly how you want, and I could get it done right. It might take a while, but I can prove to you that I can take care of you."

Sarah stopped, dragging him with her. He was jerked almost off a tree branch, surprised. He turned to her and was about to ask what, when she spoke softly. "You don't need to prove to me that you can take care of me. I know that you can…that you will." She drew close to him, and they embraced. They stayed like that, and Rayu thought a reply. _You are right. I need to prove it to myself…I need to prove to myself that I'm ready. This is necessary…and I will do it._

He smiled, and said, "Thank you."

They separated, and Rayu said, "We're almost to the Ramen place. We had better hurry if we want to make it back by Tamari's deadline."

Sarah nodded and they ran off once more. They were silent, and Rayu felt the same passion he supposed Rock Lee felt as he thought, _I will build this house! I will have it done in six months, at the same time Sarah and the rest of her team reach my power level. It would be a nice graduation present…_

He imagined her reaction to the house of her dreams, and he smiled. He would do anything to make her smile…to make her happy.

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Well, that's all for chapter 10. I know it's not that great of an ending, but I was suffering from writers block. However, next chapter, things will pick up. (At least I hope it will. It just depends on how much time I would like to pass in this story. It's getting rather hard for me to continue.)

But, anywho…Let me know what your favorite Character mentioned or not mentioned in this story so far, and I might incorporate them into my story with a guest appearance! (Who knows…might even be Naruto. ;-) )

So, thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11: The Stalker

Welcome back, readers! A portion of this chapter take place in another person's point of view. Whose point of view, you ask? Well, I can't tell you yet. Nevertheless, read on!

P.S. This chapter takes place six days after the last chapter.

WARNING: There is a graphic part in here. I will warn you before it happens.

Chapter 11: The Stalker

A shadowy figure gently pushed through tree and bush branches, hardly making a noise. Their blue ninja sandal boots barely made any tracks that could be followed. Their worn and dirty grey fabric pants had a few small holes, a few smears of dirt, and just an overall tiresome appearance. The person wore a tee shirt similar to Rayu's, just with a smaller collar, and the fact that it was black. The shirt also had streaks of dirt and a few holes. The person wore a strange type of glove that started at their elbow as a thin circle strip of black leather, and then from that circle, a small strip of leather roughly an inch wide snaked down his forearm 4 times until it met with his actual black fingerless glove.

The shadowy phantom wore a black Konoha Leaf Headband as a bandana that encircled his entire head, showing his loyalties. A few small bangs escaped from underneath the bandana and kept getting in the way of the phantom's left brown eye. Below that eye, on the cheekbone, was a single horizontal whisker-looking black scar. The person's tan skin showed in the bright afternoon sunlight as scraped, dirty, and sweat coated. His face was gentle and usually happy, but it seemed like a smile had not visited this face in a long time.

His breath came out in short, ragged bursts, and he seemed panicked. While he wore the Konoha headband, he stayed hidden from the five Leaf Ninja that he had stumbled upon. His breath caught as he saw who they were. Four Chunin and one Jonin leader.

He recognized two of the Chunin, but not the other two. He recognized Rayu Tazamaki, and Sarah Kasairoze. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he tried his best to make them go away. Rayu Tazamaki looked his way, and he quickly crouched out of sight, and he withdrew a kunai knife. Something didn't seem right.

He saw Sarah quickly run off to his left, their right, yelling a quick excuse. She ran with a strange urgency that he knew had to be danger. He quickly jumped through the tree branches, following her trajectory. She entered the woods, near a small clearing and he stopped as soon as he was close enough to hear what she was saying. She was muttering to herself, "Where are you?" She reached down her right leg, and then withdrew a kunai.

He panicked for a moment._ Did she see me?_ He thought. Then he noticed that she stopped fidgeting, and she looked off to her right. He looked to his left, and looked where she looked, and he saw another figure. This figure was hidden in the shadow of a tree, but killer intent radiated from them. He knew what it was, and he leapt into action.

He jumped across Sarah's path, causing her to scream, and grabbed her kunai in his free hand. In that split second, he jumped at the person in the shadows with such speed that they had no time to react. He plunged both kunai into the person's heart, killing the person instantly. He then quickly slung the dead body over his shoulder, and jumped away into the woods.

---------------------------------------------

Rayu heard Sarah's scream, and dodged Lana's incoming attack. He then ran in Sarah's direction, shooting Chakra from his feet that caused him to run close to 90 miles an hour. It took maybe two seconds for him to find Sarah, and he quickly ran over to her.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and asked, "Sarah? What's wrong?"

She was standing still, hands by her sides. She was staring up at a tree, and he quickly looked where she was looking. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until he noticed blood on the tree. He got in the way of her vision, and made sure she was looking into his eyes. "Sarah, where are they?"

She pointed off in the direction of the tree, and he jumped into the tree. He looked around, silent, and then heard the snapping of tree branches from ahead of him. He yelled to Sarah, "Stay there!"

He then focused his Chakra, building up a momentary burst, and then released it. He jumped away, going as fast as he could without endangering himself. The person who was running away heard him coming, and picked up their speed. Rayu managed to catch a glimpse of the person, and stopped once he did.

He was shocked to see what looked like a dead Leaf Ninja over the person's shoulder, and he was frozen in shock. He knew he couldn't catch up with the person now, thanks to his stopping. He cursed his luck, and quickly ran back to Sarah.

---------------------------------------------

Rayu found Sarah surrounded by his fellow squad members, and he jumped out of the tree and down in front of them. They jumped slightly, scared of his sudden appearance. Sarah seemed more active now, but still slightly shocked. He walked over to her, past Lana and Rachel and Tamari, and stopped in front of Sarah.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

She nodded, and met his gaze. She whispered, "Yes…I-I'm fine."

He hugged her, and talked to Tamari over his shoulder. "Tamari…someone was killed right up in that tree. I chased after someone in the woods, and I got close enough to notice the fact that they had a dead body slung over his shoulder. Worse, it looked like the dead person was a Leaf Ninja."

Tamari walked over to him, and asked, "Are you sure?"

He let go of Sarah, and turned to meet Tamari's brown eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure."

She shook her head in shock. "Were you able to make out any features?" She asked.

Rayu closed his eyes, and thought back just a few minutes earlier. He opened his eyes again, and shook his head 'no'. Tamari sighed.

"Okay. Training is over for today. I'm going to report this to the Hokage, so all of you are free to go." She said, and then turned around and walked away.

Rayu turned to his teammates. "Well, looks like we get a day off. So what do you want to do?"

Sarah said shakily, "I'm just going to go home."

Rayu nodded and said, "I'll walk with you." Lana and Rachel chimed in, "Yeah! We'll come too."

Rayu shook his head as the girls batted their eyelashes at him, hinting why they were coming. Would these girls never stop?

"Okay then…let's go." He said, and looped his right arm in Sarah's left one. Lana quickly looped her arm into Rayu's free arm and Rachel looped her arm into Sarah's free arm, forming a living chain.

Rayu shook his head as Lana inconspicuously leaned against him. They all walked for about a minute, before Lana tried to lean her head against his shoulder. That was the last straw. Rayu let go of Sarah's arm, let go of Lana's arm, and everyone stopped walking. Sarah and Rachel both looked at Rayu questioningly as he turned and stared at Lana.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, gently but sternly, and spoke softly. "Lana…I find it flattering that you think I'm attractive. But, I am in a relationship with Sarah! You can't keep flirting and seeking my attention, because I won't give it to you!"

Lana looked down at the ground, seemingly stopped. Just to be sure, Rayu focused his Chakra, and focused on his seal, just as Tsunade had showed him two days ago. His seal burned slightly, as he specifically activated the _shourai _portion of his seal. There was a slight blurring in his vision, but then everything became clear.

He saw Lana with her head bowed, but then he saw the future her raise her head and try to kiss him. He quickly deactivated his seal, and then put his right hand in front of his mouth, palm outwards.

Lana quickly raised her head, and tried to kiss him. As soon as her lips touched his leather glove and she opened her eyes in surprise, he noticed tears in her eyes. He resisted the urge to wipe away the tears as she pulled away from him, and a tear rolled down her face. He hoped that she now realized that she was rejected and had no chance with him.

Sarah simply watched, wanting to see how Rayu handled this. Lana spoke, trying not to cry. "I…I just wanted to be the one this time. It's always Sarah! Sarah's always the one who gets the boys first, and when she turns them down, then they come to us! I'm tired of being second! When I saw you, I liked you, and I was hoping that you would like me back. Even when I found out you were betrothed, I was hoping you could like me. I was hoping you would leave Sarah for me…that someone would finally like me."

Rayu was saddened by what she said, but stayed firm. "Sarah and I are going to get married, Lana. You can't have me like that, but I'll always be your squad mate and friend. So, I would appreciate it if you would please, stop trying to get my attention."

She nodded and turned around. "I'm going home. I'll see everyone tomorrow." She then ran off, not bothering to even slow down when Sarah yelled her name.

Rayu sighed, dejected and unsure if he had handled that correctly. Sarah let go of Rachel's arm, and walked up behind Rayu. She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his chest and resting her head on the back of his right shoulder. "You did the right thing, and you couldn't have handled it any other way. Don't worry about her. I'll call her later, okay?" She whispered into his ear.

He nodded and then cleared his throat. "Let's get you home. You should get some rest."

She nodded, and the three friends linked arms once more. Rayu was on Sarah's left, and Rachel on Sarah's right. They walked in silence, unsure of how to break the uncomfortable silence and presence. Finally, when they were in the city, almost to Sarah's house, Rachel spoke up.

"I…uh...I'm sorry, Rayu and Sarah. I should not have acted as I did, trying to get your attention that way, Rayu. And Sarah, I hope it doesn't affect our friendship." She said, hesitantly.

Sarah smiled and squeezed her friend in a quick hug as they walked. "It's fine. I know you didn't mean any harm. However, I'd still appreciate it if you dressed a bit more conservatively around Rayu. You know how boys' minds are." She giggled, and Rachel joined in.

Rayu rolled his eyes. If he were as perverted as other boys were, then he would have succumbed to Rachel and Sarah's charms long ago. He probably would have been reduced to nothing but a babbling, drooling idiot. He chuckled at the thought, imagining himself drooling and talking gibberish.

He quickly snapped back to reality as he realized that Sarah and Rachel had stopped. He looked up, and realized that they were already at Sarah's house. Sarah seemed to be waiting expectantly for something, and Rachel was watching just as expectantly.

He smiled and looked at Sarah. "I'll try to stop by later, around dinner time, to see you. I'll have already eaten though, so I won't be staying long."

She shook her head. "You haven't stayed very long at all any time you come to see me. This time, you stay for dinner, and you get to stay longer than ten minutes."

He smiled, and decided it couldn't hurt. He had never stayed very long, because he felt uncomfortable around Mrs. Karen, unsure of what she thought of him now. She acted as if she liked him, but he wasn't sure if it was just a façade. He replied, "Okay. Dinner it is. I'll see you in around an hour and a half then."

He took a step towards her, which brought him almost skin to skin with her, and hugged her. They kissed each other on the cheek, making Rachel giggle. She asked, "Why don't you guys just kiss on the lips like before?"

Rayu and Sarah stayed in their embrace, both unsure of why. Finally, after a moment's consideration, Rayu spoke. "We may have kissed like that before, but I think that now we're both in agreement that we should take our relationship at a normal level."

Sarah nodded, agreeing with his statement. She then giggled, "Even though I really enjoyed the first and second kisses."

Rayu chuckled as well, feeling giddy as he remembered the feeling. He released Sarah from their embrace and said, "I'll see you later. I'll escort Rachel to her house, and then I'll go change and get ready for dinner."

Sarah nodded and then pressed the intercom button, and after a brief few words, was allowed inside the apartment complex. She waved one last time before she entered the building, and then shut the glass door behind her. Rayu waited a few seconds before turning to Rachel, and then saying, "Finally. Are you ready?"

She smiled and nodded. "Absolutely. Everything that you need is in place. Make sure that you keep track of the time though, so that you can make it to Sarah's house on time."

He nodded in agreement. "Well, in that case, I'll walk you home, and then I'll go about my task."

She shook her head. "No. You go, and I'll just go home by myself. You're going to need all the time you can get."

Rayu bowed, thankful to her, and said, "Then I'll go. Just make sure to get home safe."

She bowed back, giggling. "I will. Good luck!" She straightened, and then walked away, headed deeper into the city.

Rayu watched her as long as he could, feeling a bit overprotective of his new friend. As soon as she was out of sight, he bolted the other way, towards the outskirts of the city. He had a lot to do, but not a lot of time to do it.

A mere two minutes later, he arrived at his destination. He arrived, at a run down old house. This house was on the outskirts, completely deserted and abandoned, but just the right size for the house he was going to build for Sarah. He was going to demolish this house, and keep the foundation. The foundation, he had been assured by Rachel's father who was a house builder, was solid and good.

This house was a two-story, four bedroom, 2-bathroom house with a large kitchen and living room. Rayu hated to destroy something that someone else created, but the house was rotting. Therefore, he had to destroy it, and he planned to do spectacularly.

He had an idea to try, but he needed to be careful seeing as he was in a neighborhood. Albeit, a neighborhood where each house was spaced out at least 300 feet apart from each other, but still close enough for damage to happen to other people. He had received a document from Tsunade, granting him this land, and he planned to make good use of it. However, first thing's first, he had to check around inside and take out anything that could be useful.

He walked up to the porch, and opened the old wooden door. He was immediately greeted by a musky odor, and something else. Something that made his hair stand on end. It was the smell of death.

The sickly sweet odor permeated the house, and he quickly pulled out his Kunai knife. He focused his Chakra into his ears, and listened carefully for any sounds. He could hear insects such as termites and ants beneath him, what could have been a squirrel in the far back rooms. The stairwell that was directly in front of him, that acted like a divider that separated the kitchen off to the right and the living room off to the left, bustled with insect activity.

He tried to listen above him, and was surprised to hear breathing. He silently walked up the 28 stairs, listening for even the slightest stresses that could alert the person that he was here. He could hear them sobbing, muttering meaningless words. He made it up the stairwell, it was surrounded by solid wooden walls so the person wouldn't see who was coming, and cautiously turned a corner to the left. He crept forward, making no noise, and found a closed door with a keyhole at the end of the hall. He quietly made it to the door, and calmed his heart rate that seemed through the roof.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING PORTION OF THE STORY IS A LITTLE GRAPHIC. YOU CAN SKIP THIS PORTION, BUT THIS PORITON OF THE STORY IS ESSENTIAL!

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He crouched, and peeked through the keyhole, and his breath caught at what he saw. He saw the dead Leaf Ninja that he had seen earlier that day, on the floor, face up. The face was faced away, and the body was laying in a strange angle.

Blood was pooled around the dead body, and sitting at the edge of the puddle of blood, was the crying person. It was the same person who had killed the Leaf Ninja. He was sobbing, his back to the door, so all Rayu could see was the black shirt, black hair, black bandana, and the grey pants. The person was still muttering meaningless word, but several words stuck out among the rest. 'Sole survivor', 'ambush', 'squad', 'ten', and the last word made Rayu's blood run cold:" 'Zennith'.

Rayu quietly prepared himself, and then quickly opened the door. The person jumped up, and whirled around. The room was so dark; Rayu couldn't make out the person's face. Time slowed down as the _yokan_ section of his seal activated, slowing down the time.

He saw the person reaching for their kunai holster with their right arm, and he simply walked forward and stopped the arm. He then drew back his own right arm, and then punched the person in their face. The person went flying backwards, and time resumed its normal flow.

The person slammed into the wooden wall that was no more than five feet away, and slumped to the ground. Rayu was about to attack more, when he looked at the walls of the room. The blood of the dead ninja was all over the walls, swirling in patterns and words.

Rayu felt nauseous, and read the words in shock. The patterns on the walls were pictures…of the seal on his neck. _Engi_, _shourai_, _keishu_, and even the _yokan_, were all there. Words on the wall seemed random, but they weren't. They were strung together, almost like a timeline.

The words read like this: Birth, Sand, Zennith, Kurenai, Growth, Academy, Secrecy, Oath, Protection, Friends, Squad, Secrecy, Web, Spiral, Rayu, Missions, Waves, Rain, Grass, Wind, Chunin, Disaster, Exams, Last Mission, Ambush, Death, RAYU!

Rayu's blood seemed frozen in his veins, he felt like he couldn't breathe. He looked down, at the dead Ninja, and screamed at what he saw. The Ninja had a face, but off to the right, was another face. The skin looked like it had been freshly peeled off, and he saw parts still attached to what he thought had been the Leaf Ninja. The Headband that the Ninja wore, was no longer Leaf. It was a symbol Rayu had never seen.

And the face of the person…the face was young. The face belonged to a fifteen-year-old boy, who had his mouth open in a grimace of pain, baring his teeth. The teeth were normal, except for the canine teeth. The canines were longer, like Vampire fangs, the person's eyes were red, similar to the Sharingan, but they had no comma marks on the Iris. They had a small black pupil, but it was clouded over from death. Overall, the face was horrifying.

Rayu stumbled backwards, but froze as he saw the person he had punched start to stand. Their face was still hidden in the shadows, and so was half of their body. But, this person seemed familiar. The person didn't even speak. The person attacked, and Rayu was surprised that his seal didn't activate. The person jumped over the pool of blood and the dead body, and punched Rayu in the gut.

GRAPHIC PART IS OVER

Rayu felt his breath leave his body in a single burst, and he collapsed to his knees. The person continued the attack, slamming his knee into Rayu's face, grabbing Rayu's hair, and punching Rayu's exposed face. Rayu felt unconsciousness' black embrace reaching up to claim him, but he fought it.

He managed to regain his breath, but with each crashing punch, he could feel his body give in. He focused his Chakra quickly, and focused it on his seal. He activated the _yokan_ section again, and time slowed down. He quickly ripped the person's hand away from his hair, stood, and backed away. The person was still in the motion of punching, and Rayu attacked.

Time returned to its normal flow, his seal becoming inactive without him even turning it off. Rayu slammed his own fist into the person's face, just like before, but this time he did not hold back. He felt the impact and he knew that the person would have a bruised cheekbone.

The person stumbled backwards, and yelled, "Stop! I'm trying to protect you!"

The voice sounded familiar, but Rayu could not recall who it was. Rayu watched as the person stumbled backwards, avoided the corpse on the floor, and leaned up against the far wall. Rayu asked, "You call hitting me protecting me?"

The person nodded, hand pressed to their face. "Yes! I'm protecting you from _them_!" At the word 'them', he pointed to the corpse.

Without warning, the person flung a kunai and Rayu had no time to react. His seal did not activate, and it did not protect him. The kunai plunged into Rayu's right shoulder, and he cried out in pain as it pierced into his shoulder bone. He fell to his knees, and ripped out the kunai. Blood poured from his wound, and the person whispered, "I'm sorry. This is the only way."

The person ran past Rayu, out into the hall, down the stairs, and he heard him run out of the house. Rayu was crouched on his knees, left hand clamped over his right shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

He stood, tears running down his face. He didn't understand any of this! He was wounded, and he knew he might not find help in time, because he was sure that the kunai had pierced deep. He growled in frustration, and walked out of the house. He had to make it to Sarah's, or to a friend's house.

He ran as fast as he dared, feeling the blood pump from his wound, covering his left hand and his entire right arm. He used Chakra to run faster, but he felt light-headed and knew he wouldn't last very long. He gathered a massive amount of Chakra while he ran, storing it and readying it.

He felt unconsciousness start to claim him, so he released that large amount of Chakra, expelling it all at once. He shot through the air, faster than 110 Miles an hour. He rocketed through the air, flying over houses and electric lines. His vision started to fail, blacking out for a few seconds, but then returning.

He knew he was close to Sarah's house as he started to descend. He landed on his feet, using Chakra to cushion his impact. He then staggered forwards, unsure of how long he could last. He staggered a few steps, and realized that he was at the apartment complex.

He shook his head, trying to stay awake. He couldn't think straight, and he struggled to find the right button to push. He found it, and Sarah's voice answered within a few seconds. "Hello?"

He spoke, trying to stay conscious. "Sarah…it's Rayu. Help me…help."

He collapsed as he released the button, falling on his face. He breathed in the dirt, and coughed, aware that he had maybe only a few more seconds of consciousness. He felt his blood escape in a faster torrent as his arm went limp, unable to keep pressure.

The last thing he remembered was Sarah screaming his name.

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So! That's the end of Chapter 11! Sorry to end it like that, but…at the same time, I'm not sorry! LOL. laughs evilly!

Tune in next time….if there is a next time! BWAHAHAHAHAAHA!

Do you think I will kill Rayu? Many people think that you can't kill the main character, but what do you think? Let me know!


	12. Chapter 12: Death

Welcome back, readers! This portion of the story is told through Sarah's point of view. There will be mushy stuff again, male readers! However, enjoy the story. One of Sarah's memories will come up, and we will get to know her a bit more.

P.S. So…do you think I won't kill him? Hehehe. Read and Find out!

Chapter 12: death

Sarah Kasairoze had just gotten done with her thirty-minute shower, toweled off, and gotten dressed and stepped out of her room, when the buzzer sounded off. She smoothed her white tank top and red shorts, her standard clothing whenever she wanted to flaunt her body around Rayu. She walked over to the intercom, noting that dinner was almost done, expecting Rayu.

"Hello?" She asked, hoping it was indeed Rayu.

She heard Rayu's voice, slurring and weak. "Sarah…it's Rayu. Help me…help." Her heart started to pound, and she was frozen for a split moment.

"Sarah? What's wrong?" Her mother asked, coming out of the kitchen.

Sarah sprang into action. She unlocked their door, and turned back to her mother, tears springing to her eyes. "Rayu sounds hurt, he asked for help, hurry!"

Karen ripped off her apron and yelled for Tom. Sarah didn't wait to see what they did, and ran to the stairs. She couldn't afford to waste time waiting for the elevator. She quickly jumped on circular railing, and slid down it, using Chakra to cause the soles of her shoes to stick to the railing. She flew down the railing for three stories, until she reached the end of the railing.

She jumped off, rolling on the hard linoleum to lessen the impact, and rolled to a stand. She didn't even pause, and ran to the glass doors. She saw Rayu, no more than fifteen feet away, facedown on the dirt. She shoved open the glass doors and screamed his name.

She was at his side in a second, and she noticed blood mixing with the dirt, staining it red. She stifled a gasp and rolled him over onto his back, and the sight made her cry.

Rayu's nose was bleeding, his lip was cut and bleeding, and there were multiple bruises already forming. She saw his left hand fall from his right shoulder, and she saw blood pour from what looked like a stab wound. Tears blurred her vision, and she felt her heart breaking.

She screamed, unsure of what to do, unsure of how to help the young man she loved. Tears streamed from her eyes, and then her training came back to her. She quickly ripped a strip of cloth from the hem of her white tank top, and wadded it up into a ball. She then pressed the ball of cloth onto the wound, pushing hard to slow the bleeding.

Her parents burst out of the door to the apartment complex, yelling her name. Sarah lifted Rayu's head carefully, putting it on her lap, not caring about the blood that dripped onto her shorts and her legs. She had to help, somehow.

Her parents crouched next to her and Rayu, and Tom asked what happened. The world seemed to slow down, everything sounding hollow, and echoing strangely. Her world blurred, but then everything snapped back to normal. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and said, "It looks like he was stabbed in his right shoulder, and it looked pretty deep."

Tom nodded, and yelled for Karen to get inside and call the hospital and tell them that they had a critical patient coming in. He then picked up Rayu, the boys blood staining his white tee shirt, and yelled at the now retreating Karen. "Karen! Meet us at the hospital!" He then turned to Sarah and spoke softly, but with an urgent tone.

"Baby, listen to me carefully. I need you to keep up with me, keeping constant pressure on Rayu's shoulder. He's losing a lot of blood, very fast. Keep the pressure as we run. Can you do that?" He asked.

She nodded, tears still running down her face. She pushed the wet piece of cloth harder onto the wound, and stayed by her father's side as he ran down the street. She was shaking while she ran, and could feel Rayu's life drain with every beat of his heart.

Sarah had known that her father was trim and in shape, but she didn't realize how much so until she noted it only took around four minutes for them to reach the hospital. They had run flat-out, never slowing or stopping, hoping that Rayu hadn't lost too much blood.

As soon as the hospital doors were in sight she noticed three Emergency Medical Ninja standing at the door, waiting for them. When they made it to the doors, the Medical Ninja grabbed Rayu from Tom's arms. The three men, that's what the Medical Ninja were, tried to get Sarah to let go of Rayu, but she just couldn't do it.

Finally, they had to have Tom hold her, and they ran inside the hospital. Sarah watched as they bore Rayu into the hospital, yelling for the crowds of people to move, and realized that this could be the last time she saw her love.

She broke down then, feeling like someone had just taken a knife and carved out her heart. Her father held her tightly, hugging his daughter in the middle of the entrance to the hospital. She half-screamed her anguish, and the people in the hospital looked at her strangely.

She didn't care, and kept crying. Her father made soothing noises, trying to settle her down, but she couldn't bottle her emotions like Rayu could. She simply let her emotions loose. Her love, the man she had been promised to, was dying and there was nothing she could do.

Finally, after five minutes, she had settled down. They moved into the waiting room, sitting in a few open chairs, waiting for Karen to arrive. Sarah kept her face in her father's shoulder, the image of Rayu's pale face dancing through her head.

Her mother arrived three minutes later with fresh shorts and a tank top for Sarah, and a fresh dress shirt for Tom. Tom and Sarah changed in the hospital restrooms, and did the only thing they could do: wait.

Her mother and father held her close, trying to comforting her. But, their words fell on deaf ears. The world was foreign to her…dull, lacking color, muffled, so cold, and lonely. Living without Rayu in her life was something she couldn't do…not after living so long without him before. She now knew what she had been missing those years of her life: Rayu.

Life before, she had known who she was, she had known who he was, she knew their past together. But, she didn't know if he had survived like she did. Every single night she would cry, unsure if he had contracted an illness and died, or if he had survived and grown into a handsome young man. She would wonder if he had become a farmer, if he had become a ninja, if he remembered her and was thinking of her right at that moment. Without him, life wouldn't just be like before, it would be worse.

A small tear ran down her left cheek, and she stared blankly straight ahead at the entrance/exit of the hospital. The fading sunlight filtered through the automatic door, and she recalled one occasion where she had been sorely tempted to forget Rayu and to be a normal girl and have a boyfriend.

(Flashback)

_Asaki Watanabi, the most popular and handsome boy at the academy, was walking down the academy hallway with three of his friends. Sarah had a crush on him, as did all the other girls in the academy. She was hiding partially behind a pillar as he and his friends walked down the hallway and passed by her._

_It was her last year at the academy, and she desperately wanted him to notice her. He stopped suddenly as he passed by the pillar she was hiding behind, and turned to face her. He had short, spiky black hair, and green eyes, and he was a very attractive young man. He wore a dark blue tee shirt, and black jean shorts._

_She blushed furiously as he motioned for his friends, and they all followed him. He stopped right in front of her, and leaned on the pillar that she was using as a shield. He smiled gently, and she felt faint._

_Her hear raced as he spoke, locking eyes with her. "Sarah Kasairoze? Is that you?"_

_She nodded, and he laughed softly. "Oh, so it is! I couldn't tell with you hiding your beautiful face behind this pillar."_

_Her breath caught in her chest. Had he really just called her beautiful?_

_He laughed, seeming to know just what she was thinking. "Yes…you're extremely beautiful. You see…I…I've had a crush on you ever since we've been in the academy together. This is our last year…actually the last week before the graduation test. And…I was wondering if you would go out with me."_

_He seemed so shy, so hopeful, and she felt lightheaded at his confession. His friends stood silently by, and he shifted uncomfortably as he waited for her reply._

_She opened her mouth, and started to reply, when the cute face of the Rayu that she knew six years ago. She spoke softly. "Asaki…I have a crush on you too." At this, his face lit up. He seemed so happy, and she almost didn't continue her speech. However, then the actions of Rayu to assure that she was safe and secure, came to her mind._

_She wanted so badly to accept Asaki! But, she was torn in two. Rayu…her betrothed who had saved her who she was unsure if he was even alive or if he remembered her, or Asaki…the cutest, most romantic and most wanted boy in the academy who had just professed his love to her._

_She spoke again. "Asaki…please give me a day to sort out everything. This is so sudden…and so great, but I need to get my head on straight."_

_He smiled and nodded. "Absolutely. Whatever you need."_

_She smiled, and said, "Until tomorrow, Asaki."_

_He walked away, his face alight with joy. She walked home…so confused by her feelings._

_Karen opened the door to their apartment, and Sarah walked in. "Hi, sweetie." Karen said, hugging her twelve-year-old daughter._

_Sarah returned the hug half-heartedly. "Hey, mom."_

_Karen, knowing something was bothering her daughter, shut the door behind them and immediately asked, "What's the matter?"_

_Sarah looked up at her mother, her face full of confusion and uncertainty. "Mom…Asaki Watanabi asked me out today. He told me that he's had a crush on me ever since he saw me at the Academy."_

"_And…?" She asked, clearly not understanding._

"_Mom…I really like him! I've had a crush on him forever!" She cried, exasperated. Her mother just didn't get it._

"_And you liking him is the problem?" She asked, now more confused than ever._

"_Yes! I'm promised to Rayu!" Sarah wailed._

_Her mother was finally enlightened and said, "Aaahhhh. I see. You're worried about that boy, who you don't even know if he survived, that he might come looking for you and you'll be stuck in a relationship even though you were promised to him and then he'll hate you."_

_Sarah nodded. She just couldn't get over Rayu! Right at that moment, she felt angry with Rayu. Angry because he wasn't here and he was influencing her decisions! The nerve of him!_

_Karen motioned for Sarah to sit down on the couch that was off to their left. Sarah went and sat down and Karen sat down next to her. "This boy, Rayu, why are you so concerned about what he thinks when he's not even here? Why are you so worried about what he thinks of you, and why are you still worried about a betrothal when the betrothed isn't around and hasn't been for six years?" Karen asked._

_Sarah thought about it for a moment, shifting uncomfortably in her dress. _(AUTHOR'S NOTE: The dress that she is wearing is the same as the one she was wearing when she met Rayu in Chapter 3. Obviously just a smaller size. LOL.) _She finally answered, after about a minute's worth of thinking._

"_I'm so concerned about what he thinks when he's not even here, and hasn't been for six years, because I feel that I owe it to him." Sarah said softly._

"_Why do you feel you owe him that?" Karen asked. She was gently pushing her daughter, prodding her down the path to an answer that only she could find out herself._

_Sarah's eyes glistened, tears starting to form as she remembered all the things Rayu did for her. He stopped her from being violated, he made sure that she was always the first one to eat or drink, he made sure she slept; he made sure she was warm, and he made sure that she was safe._

"_Because he saved me…saved me from a lot of things when I thought only about myself, and he was selfless." She whispered._

"_Okay. Now, what has Asaki done for you that makes you so attached to him?" Karen asked._

_Sarah racked her brains, thinking of something constructive or praiseworthy that Asaki had done for her. She couldn't think of anything. "He hasn't done anything." She instantly tried to cover for it though. "But, he was shy! He hadn't worked up the courage to talk to me yet!"_

_Karen gave a small smile. "Well, then I guess there's nothing I can do now. You just decide for yourself, go over what we just talked about, and make your decision." She stood, and went to the kitchen, starting to prepare dinner._

_Sarah sat on the couch, silent and thoughtful. She didn't move, even when her father came in. She was lost in thought. The only time she got up was for dinner, a shower, and then bed. She slept uneasily, the smiling face of a six-year-old Rayu dancing through her head._

_Sarah met Asaki in front of the Academy, after classes. He looked so hopeful, and she felt horrible. He and his friends gathered around her, and Asaki waited patiently for her decision._

_She started out, but then a tear spilled down her cheek. She wiped it away in a hurry. "Asaki…I really, really like you. I've wanted to go out with you since my first year in the Academy."  
He smiled, encouraging her. "But…I'm promised to someone else. I was promised from his birth, when I was a year old."_

_Asaki frowned at this, thoughtful. "Maybe I could talk with him. What is his name and where is he?"_

_Sarah turned her face away, taking a deep breath. She looked at Asaki, and spoke. "His name is Rayu Tazamaki, but I don't know where he is. I haven't known where he was for six years." At the last part, she avoided his gaze._

_Asaki was confused. "What do you mean? Why haven't you seen him in six years?"_

_Sarah took a deep breath, and told him the condensed version of her and Rayu wandering through the woods, her leaving him, and then her being found by her current parents. She had made sure to explain all that Rayu had done for her, and by the time she was done, Asaki was nodding._

"_So you are unaware if he survived, but you feel that you need to wait for him." He said, confirming what she felt._

_She nodded, and Asaki lowered his head. "Well, I guess that is that. I don't blame you, Sarah-kun. However, I hope we can be friends. And, if it doesn't work with this guy, I'm always here as a friend and possibly more."_

_He turned and walked away, leaving Sarah alone, but feeling lighter. She had remained loyal to Rayu, and she hoped fervently that he would come, and make her sacrifice worth it._

(End Flashback)

A tear rolled down her face, and she quickly stood. "Mom, dad, I'll be back." She had talked to Asaki, staying friends with him over the years, but she hadn't talked to him for a few days.

Asaki had been there at the Coliseum when Rayu had his trials, and he had seen Rayu from a distance, but she wanted him to see him up close. She had talked to Asaki many times about Rayu, especially after she had just met him that first time. As soon as she had gotten home she had called him, and he had been just as excited as she had been.

Her parents nodded and said, "We'll come and get you if they come with news of Rayu."

Sarah thanked them, and then walked over to the desk receptionist, the same man who had given Rayu the discharge papers. He recognized her, and smiled. "What can I do for you?" He asked.

She asked, "Is there a public phone? I need to place a local call."

The man nodded. "You can use this phone since it's a local call." He pushed the desk phone over to her, and she thanked him. She picked up the actual phone, and hoped Asaki was home. It was around 7:30 already.

She dialed the phone, and within three rings, Asaki picked up. "Watanabi Residence, this is Asaki speaking."

Sarah almost cried with relief. "Asaki, this is Sarah."

Asaki knew her well, and he asked, "Sarah, you sound stressed. Is everything okay?"

"No. Rayu's in the hospital. He was beaten up and stabbed at around 5:30, and we haven't received word on him yet. But, I was wondering if you would come down here. I wanted you to get to see him." She replied. She knew that it was stupid, just to have Asaki see Rayu, but she needed a best friend to comfort her.

"Of course. I'll be right over. I should be there in around five minutes." He said, and then hung up. Sarah smiled and hung up the receiver. Asaki had always been there for her, and she was so thankful for him.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind. _If Rayu dies, perhaps Asaki will take me for his own. _Sarah was shocked at that thought. How could she even think that?

She thanked the receptionist and returned the phone. She walked back to her parents and said, "I called Asaki. He'll be here soon."

Her father frowned. He didn't approve, but there was nothing he could do about it. Karen calmed him down by simply holding his hand. Sarah sat down, impatient.

Four minutes later, a red-haired nurse in the traditional white uniform walked up to them. "You are here for Rayu Tazamaki, correct?" She asked, looking down at a clipboard in her hands.

Tom stood. "Yes, we are." Sarah and Karen stood as well, and then nurse nodded.

"They've stabilized Rayu. He is awake, which is abnormal after losing so much blood. He should be unconscious for at least a day or two, but he's awake and asking for you." She said. "Just follow me and I'll take you."

Sarah objected, "We're waiting for someone else to come to. He should be here any minute."

As if on cue, Asaki Watanabi walked into the hospital, slowing from the running he had just done. He wore a black tee shirt, black shorts, and the standard blue ninja boots. He had the blue ninja headband. He was a Chunin now, just like Sarah. He had slightly tanned skin, the same short spiked black hair, and piercing green eyes. He smiled as soon as he saw her, barely sweating.

"Sarah! Hey!" He half-shouted, and ran over to her.

She hugged him, and after a moment, they released their embrace. "How is he?" He asked.

The nurse smiled. "Is the party all here? If so, I can take you to him now."

Sarah nodded, and the party of four followed the nurse. They took an elevator to the fourth floor, and walked through countless hallways. However, they finally made it to Rayu's room, Room 497.

The door was open, and a doctor walked out, brushing past them. The nurse stayed outside the door and said, "You can go in. Try not to make it too long, because he will need rest to replenish all the blood he lost."

Sarah nodded, and everyone filed into the surprisingly large room. It looked the exact same as the one Rayu had been in previously, except Rayu had a hospital gown on this time.

Rayu was pale, unhealthy looking, and he had dried blood on his lip. His face had five fist shaped bruises, and he had a black eye. He had a bandage that was around his right shoulder and went down his arm to his bicep. He still had his ninja headband on, though.

He smiled as soon as he saw them there, and weakly raised a hand in greeting. Sarah grabbed Asaki's hand and pulled him forward into the room as she ran towards Rayu. Tom and Karen stayed outside the door, but Rayu addressed them first. "Thank you so much, Mr. Tom and Mrs. Karen. Thank you."

They smiled and nodded. Rayu then turned his attention to Sarah and her friend. Sarah walked up to the side of the bed, pulled up a chair, and tried her best not to cry. Rayu looked horrible, but she was glad he was alive. She grabbed his closest hand, the right hand, gently and kissed him on the cheek. "Rayu…you scared me so badly." She whispered.

Rayu placed his left hand on hers, and had a tear run down his own face. "I was scared too." He said, his voice wavering. A strange, pained look crossed his face, and he addressed Tom and Karen.

"Could you get me a pen and a pad of paper? This is important." He asked, and Tom and Karen nodded. They walked off to get the needed supplies, and Rayu turned to the patiently waiting Asaki and apologized.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting there. Please, make yourself comfortable. I'm not sure I know you…what's your name?" Rayu asked.

Asaki walked up to Rayu's left side and extended his left hand, which Rayu shook. "I'm a friend of Sarah's. I am Chunin Asaki Watanabi, and may I say it's an extreme pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you over the years, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you after I saw you at the Trials."

Asaki and Rayu both smiled, liking each other immediately. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Asaki. I am happy to meet any of Sarah's friends."

Asaki nodded, and walked over to Rayu's right side. He pulled up a chair, and sat next to Sarah. Tom walked in just then, a pad of paper and a pen in his hands. Tom handed them to Rayu and smiled. "Karen went home. She's happy to see you alive and well, and she notified your parents of everything."

Rayu smiled. "Thanks." The strange, pained look crossed his face again, but then left.

Sarah touched his face concernedly. "Rayu…are you okay?"

He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. A tear rolled down his face. "Yes. I'm fine…I'm fine." He replied softly.

Rayu held the pad of paper in his left hand, and gently picked up the pen with his right hand. He gingerly started to write, carefully, but fast. He looked determined, and he wrote it down faster than he had ever done before. As he wrote, Asaki touched Sarah's arm inconspicuously and made Sarah turn her head to him.

He whispered in her ear, "Something's wrong."

Sarah looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?" She whispered.

"There's something not right here. I don't know what it is, but something's not right." He whispered back. He had always been able to tell these things, and he had never been wrong before.

Sarah turned back to Rayu, who finally put down the pen and pad of paper. Sarah was surprised to see him rip out four pages, and realized he had written that much in just that short time. "Rayu? What did you write?" She asked.

Rayu smiled, and then turned his head away. And she saw a tear fall from his face and onto the hospital covers. She knew then that Asaki was right. She stood and put her left hand on Rayu's right shoulder gently. She then placed her right hand on his face, and turned his head to face her. "Rayu…what's wrong?" She asked.

Rayu was genuinely crying now, and Sarah saw fear and sadness in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Sarah." He handed her the papers, and whispered, "Give this to Tsunade. It has the details of my being attacked. Give it to her as soon as possible."

Sarah felt a cold feeling clawing at her belly. She set the papers on the table next to her chair and asked, "What's wrong?"

Rayu ignored the question, tears streaming down his face. "Tell me how your and Sarah's story, Asaki." He said, turning to Asaki.

Asaki, the feeling that something wrong growing in his mind, told him everything. He told of how he had had a crush on Sarah for many years, how he had finally worked up enough courage to ask her out, of how he had been rejected, of Sarah's determined loyalty to Rayu, and how he had been her friend over these years.

It took only a few minutes, but Rayu had stopped crying. He had a straight face now, and he looked at Sarah, who was crying gently. "Sarah…I had hoped that I would be able to build you a house. I was hoping that when your six-month training was over, I would present the house to you. I was then hoping we could get married, and that we would be happy."

Sarah caught the hints. "Hoped? What do you mean?" She asked, tears rolling down her face.

The pained expression crossed Rayu's face, and his body shook. With an Iron will, he pushed it away and looked into her face. "I lost too much blood, and my wound is open again. They healed the surface, and they thought they were able to heal the inside, but I know they didn't." He replied.

Sarah glanced at her left hand, which was still on his right shoulder. She pulled it away, and saw blood seeping through the hospital gown, and red on her left hand. She turned to Asaki. "Get the doctors!" She yelled.

Asaki was already up and running when she said this, and Tom was staring in shock at Rayu. Rayu continued. "Sarah…please forgive me. I wanted to be there for you so bad."

Blood seeped down through the bandages on his arm, and Sarah cried. She put both of her hands on the sides of his face, and kissed him full on the lips. She poured all of her love into that kiss, and she felt his hands wrap around her, and she climbed onto the bed. She straddled his waist, and they stayed like that for a few moments. Finally, their lips separated, and she tasted the saltiness of their tears.

"You don't need to apologize. It's my fault…I wasn't there for you. I told you I would be, but I wasn't." She cried, and Rayu shook his head.

"Shh...Shh...Shh. It's okay. I want you to be careful. The person who did this to me might try to attack you. Stay surrounded by friends at all times. He won't do it if he knows that you're strong enough to defeat him. The only thing I can say is that his specialty is sand Jutsu. I love you." He said, and then kissed her on the lips again.

Their passions fused together, and she pressed her mouth against his, and she kissed him, as she would have on their wedding day. She kissed him, as she would have the night of their wedding, like every day of their honeymoon, as she would have every day of their marriage.

Tom simply stood dumbfounded, next to the door. His daughter, in that moment, became a young woman. She gave all of herself to Rayu in that moment and he knew that she would have given her life for his if she had been able to. Quite frankly, he would have given his own life for Rayu, just so his daughter could be that happy every day.

Sarah's heart soared, and she felt like they were flying through the clouds together. She felt their spirits, their very souls, merge. But then, his spirit slipped away, and she felt the kiss end with the harsh sound of the heart monitor. Her soul desperately tried to be his anchor, tried to keep him there with her, but failed. The monitor stopped emitting the regular paced beeps, and let out one never-ending 'beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'.

She pulled away from their kiss, and sobbed. She climbed off the bed, removing her hands from his face. Her left hand, the hand with Rayu's blood on it, had left a mark on his face. She collapsed in the chair, shocked at the sudden end. Rayu's face was peaceful, eyes closed, and he looked so completed. Her heart broke, shattering into thousands of fragile pieces, and she cried. Her father walked over to her and hugged her fiercely, trying his best not to cry.

Asaki ran in just then, a doctor and three nurses following in his wake. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Sarah and Tom embraced and both of them crying. He looked over at Rayu, the dead boy peaceful and calm, and noticed the blood stain on his right cheek.

He moved out of the way as the doctor and nurses ran into the room, and immediately went to Rayu's bed. The doctor cursed. "Damn! Internal bleeding was stopped! How could this have happened?"

The nurses and doctor bustled around Rayu's body, ripping open the top of Rayu's hospital gown and undoing the bandages around his right shoulder. Asaki walked over to Sarah, who was watching the process over her shoulder's right shoulder.

She watched as the world unfolded in slow motion, watching as the bandages were removed and blood gushed from the stitched up wound. The doctor cursed, and she watched as a nurse was about to start compressions, but the doctor yelled at her to stop.

"He lost too much blood. There's internal bleeding, and that can't be stopped unless we do surgery, but we have no time for that! He's dead…" The doctor said.

The nurses turned off the heart monitor, and left the room. The doctor turned to Sarah, Tom, and Asaki. "You were all related to him?" He asked softly.

Tom faced the doctor. "No. His parents are on their way here right now. We are friends of the family. "

Sarah spoke softly as the tears cascaded down her face. "I was going to be married to him…"

The doctor's face was full of pity as soon as he heard this and apologized. "I'm so sorry…but…there's nothing that can be done."

Sarah spoke, "But what about the Hokage? She knows medical Jutsu! She was close to Rayu…can't she do something?"

The doctor shook his head. "No…not even if she had been here. She _might _have been able to stop the bleeding, but he had lost too much blood. There was no way he would still be alive. I'm sorry." He said. He took out a pen of his white overcoat and jotted down a few notes on a clipboard he was carrying. He glanced at the clock, which read 7:52 pm, and jotted down the time of death on his clipboard.

He said, "Once the parents get here, the paperwork will need to be filled out." He turned, and left the room.

Sarah felt so empty…so alone…so….dead. She stopped crying, feeling like she couldn't cry anymore. She stood, and walked over to Rayu's body. A small voice in the back of her head suggested that she look at Rayu's seal. She looked at the right side of his neck, and then stumbled backwards to her chair.

She felt nauseous, and her father asked what was wrong. She started to reply to him. "Rayu's neck. He had a seal…the seal is—AAGGHH!" She screamed in pain as the right side of her neck burned intensely.

She felt unconsciousness claim her as the burning sensation continued, and then she passed out. The only thing that echoed in her mind was one thought:

Rayu had no seal on the right side of his neck.

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Well! Let me know what ya think! Sorry to leave you all hanging like that. Not! laughs evilly BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Joking. Next chapter is something that you might predict happens, but there's a slight twist! Be prepared!


	13. Chapter 13: Gathering of the Ancestors

Well, hello again readers! I hope that I will have you sufficiently 'wowed' after today's chapter! I doubt it, and it may just confuse you, but oh well. So, with that, let us launch into Chapter 13 of Naruto: Revelations of the Secret Village!

Chapter 13: gathering of the ancestors

Sarah Kasairoze' consciousness rose to awakening. It was a slow process, one made slow by the shock of pain that had sent her into the black of unconsciousness. Her senses were slowly restored to her, each sense checking its functions to determine if the body was harmed.

The first sense that was restored was the sense of touch. She felt...warm and fuzzy. She felt like she had been sleeping, and like she was reluctant to rise from the dream. She felt small poky things underneath her, not irritating, but things that reminded her of blades of grass.

The next sense that was restored was the sense of smell. She breathed a few deep breaths, and smelled a familiar smell. A smell…that reminded her of home. Not her Leaf Village home, but her _home_ home. She smelled grass, a forest, the gentle perfume of flowers, and even the smell of a fresh mountain wind that was crisp and clean.

The next sense that she received was the sense of hearing. He could hear the wind whisper in her ear, she could hear leaves rustle, she could hear the soft melody of birds in the air, and she could hear soft whispers of voices around her.

The sense of taste returned to her next. She tasted a strange taste. It was pleasant, and sweet. It reminded her of honey. She smiled, and then opened her eyes as her last sense was restored to her.

Her eyes opened, and what she saw astounded and confused her. She saw two faces close to hers. They were staring down at her with the same color of ice-blue eyes. They both looked like Rayu, but she knew that only one could be Rayu. She quickly figured out which one was him. Rayu had a scar under each of his eyes, and the other one was an adult version of Rayu without scars. That is when it hit her.

She whispered, "Rayu? Mr. Kenshin?"

They both smiled the same smiled, and they nodded. She sat up, and they got out of her way. She looked around, and saw that she was in a clearing, surrounded by six people. Rayu, Kenshin, and four others. The four others were men of the age of 25, 39, 19, and 65.

They all had blonde hair, but each had different hairstyles. The 25 year old had a spiky afro; the 39 year old had his hair pulled back into a ponytail; the 19 year old had short, spiky blond hair; and the 65-year-old man had his slightly graying blond hair down to his shoulders. They all looked unique, but each had the basic face shape as Rayu and Kenshin and they all wore the same type of outfit as Kenshin. They wore a white tunic shirt, white cloth pants, and a white cloth open robe over the other clothing.

Sarah, ecstatic to see Rayu, jumped up and hugged him fiercely. He embraced her, and she felt tears escaping from her eyes. She sniffled, and she cried a little bit. She asked, "Rayu…where am I, and who are these people?"

He held onto her for a few moments and then separated from her. He spoke slowly, making sure that she would understand everything. "You are currently inside of the Seal. Everyone here is one of my ancestors. In the order of oldest to youngest in their physical appearance: My great-great-great Grandpa Ryu Tazamaki;" at this, the 65 year old man bowed to her. Rayu continued with, "My Great Grandpa Tanner Tazamaki;" next, the 39-year-old man bowed respectfully. Rayu went on, "My great-great Grandpa Kyle Tazamaki," and the 25-year-old bowed. Rayu smiled before he continued. "And this is my Grandpa, Rayu Tazamaki." At the introduction, the 19 year old grinned and bowed.

Sarah was slightly confused. "Why am I here…and why is your Grandpa 19 years old?" She asked.

Rayu smiled, as did all the other Tazamaki's. Kenshin spoke up this time. His calm, deep voice immediately put her at ease. "Your consciousness has retreated into the seal while your body tries to adapt to the seal. The reason my Father is 19 years old, is because we all appear here at the age that we die."

Before Sarah could ask why her body had to adapt to the seal, the youngest Rayu, her Rayu, spoke. "When we were kissing, I used a technique which bound our spirits…our very souls, together. I used another technique that I had just read about a few days ago that transferred my Seal onto your body. It was like a copy machine copying one specific part of my body onto yours. I had realized that if I died, and the Seal died with me, then my ancestors would be lost with me.

I had not realized at the time that they were physically here…but there was some kind of inner compulsion that made me think that. So, I figured the only way to save them, and the only chance I had to come back to life to be with you, would be to transfer my Seal to your body."

Sarah struggled a bit with the last part. "What do you mean 'to come back to life'? It is impossible to bring the dead back to life. It would take all your Chakra, your very essence, and kill the person attempting it." She said.

Kenshin shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "Have you forgotten the teachings of your childhood so early already? You should remember that with His power…the power of Jesu that nothing is impossible. He gave us 'our' power, and we twisted it for our own use. We believe that it is our power, but it is His. You speak of the Chakra as if it was yours…it is in a way. It is your soul energy, but He never meant for us to use it as our own power, to become arrogant and think that the power was all ours…deep within ourselves. It's His power, and remember than nothing is impossible with that power."

Sarah nodded, ashamed that she had not remembered her teachings so well. "You're right, I'm sorry." She said.

Kenshin laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "It's alright. I want you to keep that in mind while Rayu tells you what you must do. We don't have much time, so listen carefully." He said. He withdrew his hand from her shoulder, and motioned for her to walk closer to Rayu.

Sarah nodded and turned to the love of her life. He smiled, warming her heart, and said, "The only way I can come back to life…is to purge the Seal. Now, the Seal takes four days to completely transfer and hold onto the soul of one of its inheritors. I'm going to quickly instruct you on what you have to do, and over the next three days, I want you to practice it until you are sure that you've got it."

He showed her the technique, and they practiced it together. The entire process took only five minutes, but she felt she grasped it enough to do it efficiently with only a few hours practice. When they were finished, Rayu asked her if she had any questions.

"Yes, I do. You say that this technique requires a lot of Chakra. How do you know I'll have enough?" She asked.

Rayu smiled. "It would take _all_ of a normal person's Chakra, thus making it a sacrifice of sorts, making it useless. However, with the _engi_ portion of the seal, it will not take all of your Chakra. Your old Chakra is being doubled even as we speak. Anything else?"

"Why can't I practice for a few hours and then try to bring you back now?" She asked.

Kenshin spoke next. "Because…Rayu has not retained all the memories needed for his task. The Ancestors and I will be working on trying to restore his proper memories, and it's a complex process that takes two and a half days."

Sarah nodded, saddened. "Can I come back here at all? I mean, it's going to be so hard to…to live at all the next few days without you." She said, staring into Rayu's eyes. She felt a tear roll down her face as she spoke.

Kenshin spoke again, completely comforting and sympathetic. "Yes…yes you can. However, try not to do it too much. As I said, Rayu will be locked in a process of unlocking his memories. However, he will receive breaks when you visit. All you have to do is focus the Chakra and concentrate on emptying your mind of everything. When that is accomplished, think only of this meadow and your mind will be sent here. No physical time will pass while you are in here…after this experience. Right now, physical time has been flowing, but it won't after this."

Sarah nodded, and then put a hand to her head as she felt a strange tugging in her mind. The older Rayu addressed everyone. "It looks like her body has adapted." He then turned to her. "You will return to your body in a few moments, so be prepared." He said, kindly.

She nodded and quickly turned to the younger Rayu and whispered, "I love you so much. It's so hard to live without you."

He smiled, and kissed her full on the lips, taking her breath away. Their gazes locked, neither of them closing their eyes. She felt the strange tugging sensation again, and she felt Rayu pull out of the kiss. His face moved away from hers and he said, "This seal will protect you from most dangers, but stay in areas where you are absolutely _never_ alone. The person who killed me may come after you."

She felt the tug happen again, with more force this time, and asked, "Rayu…who killed you?"

He answered, a tone of urgency in his voice. "Read the papers I gave you…but don't tell anyone but our parents and Tsunade of this experience!"

She nodded, and he said, "I love you. Stay safe…stay protected!"

She was about to tell him she loved him, when her world went white.

She bolted upright and yelled, "Rayu!"

It took a moment for her to realize where she was, but she recognized it quickly. She was laying on a hospital bed, still in her clothes, with a nurse, a doctor, her father and mother, Rayu's father and mother, Asaki, Tsunade, and Shizune all standing around her bed.

Tsunade pulled away, a contented smile on her lips. "There! She's fine, now."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Sarah realized that Rayu's letter was in her right hand. She smiled and then said, "Rayu told me that he gave me his Seal. Is it there?" She wanted to make sure that what she had experienced was not some kind of illusion or dream created because she had just lost Rayu.

Everyone looked at her with surprise. "You do have the four layer seal that Rayu had…but how did you say you knew this?" Tsunade asked.

Sarah extended her right hand, where the four crumpled pages of Rayu's letter were, and handed them to Tsunade. Tsunade took it, and Sarah urged softly, "Read it."

Tsunade read it, her red eyes moving rapidly across the pages that she had been handed. Sarah turned to the doctor, nurse, and Asaki. "Thank you…but I…I need to speak to my family and Tsunade alone please."

Asaki nodded kindly. "Of course. I am glad you are okay. I'll be expecting a call from you soon." He turned and left, with the nurse and doctor. Rayu's parents turned to leave, but Sarah stopped them.  
"Wait! You're my family, too!" She said, bringing tearful smiles to their faces. They shut the door, and walked over to the bed.

Rayu's mother tried to say something, but could not stop herself from crying. The father had tears in his eyes, but managed to say, "We are honored that you would call us family."

Sarah smiled, and then everyone was silent. They were waiting for Sarah to say something, and Sarah was waiting for Tsunade. Tsunade sniffled a little bit and said softly, "he survived against all the odds, only to be killed by one of his best friends." A tear rolled down her cheek, and everyone gave an exclamation of surprise, not quite understanding what she said.

Sarah stammered, "W-What?"

Tsunade looked up with an infinite sadness in her red eyes. "Let me read the letter aloud." She cleared her throat, and began. As she began to speak, Sarah was taken back to earlier, when Rayu was alive. She could imagine him writing this, and instead of Tsunade's voice, she heard his.

_I sit here in the hospital bed, dying and knowing full well that I cannot survive this. I am in physical pain…but that pain is nothing compared to the emotional pain that I am in. You see, this all began at the house that Tsunade granted me. I was going to demolish it, but decided to take a peek inside to see if there was anything that Sarah would like that could be salvaged._

_I walked into the house, but smelled death immediately. I heard someone crying and muttering nonsensical words upstairs, so I proceeded up the stairway. I crept quietly up the stairs and down a hallway to a closed door._

_I opened the door, and was confronted with the corpse of the Leaf Ninja that I had seen earlier this afternoon…and the killer. The killer was crying. As soon as I opened the door, the individual stood, and whirled around, reaching for his kunai holster. I slowed time and punched him, which sent him flying into a wall behind him. He slumped down, unconscious or dazed._

_It was too shadowy and dark for me to see who it was. However, I noticed writing on the walls. The words were writing with the dead Ninja's blood. They made no sense right then, but they do now._

_I then noticed the corpse, and I screamed at what I saw. The Leaf ninja had two faces, one peeled off and lying discarded next to the real face. This technique was similar to Orochimaru's technique. The real ninja's face was expose, and I noticed that he wore a strange symbol on his headband that I have never seen before. He also had extended canine teeth, and eye similar to Tsunade's. However, those eyes seemed hellish in comparison._

_The individual stood, and attacked me, catching me unawares and injuring my face. I was able to slow time, break free, and hit him again. He stumbled backwards, and cried out for me to stop. He said he was trying to protect me…from _them_. When he said 'them', he gestured to the corpse._

_The individual then said, "I'm sorry. This is the only way." Then he threw a Kunai that caused the wound I now sit here with._

_I now recognize my assailant, by his voice, and what he had written on the walls. I recognize him, and I am so afraid and sad. He is my best friend. He is my squad mate, Masashi Frinizaki._

_The string of words comes to me now, as a timeline, outlining his life, and knowing full well their meaning. Here is my interpretation of them:_

_My name is Masashi. I was given BIRTH to by an ex-SAND villager. My older brother is ZENNITH, and my younger sister is KURENAI. Over the years I experience GROWTH, so much so that my parents found out I was meant to be a ninja. They sent me to the ACADEMY, but not after making me take a vow of SECRECY, an OATH. I was to find a certain someone, and keep watch over him and be his PROTECTION. I gathered many FRIENDS, and eventually found the one I was supposed to protect. He was assigned to the same SQUAD as I was. I was surprised to find that everyone in my squad was involved in this SECRECY, like a WEB, a SPIRAL, that all centered on RAYU. We went through many MISSIONS, in the lands of the WAVES, RAIN, GRASS, and WIND. Finally we became CHUNIN. Everything was fine until a DISASTER happened, at this year's EXAMS. My squad and I embarked on what would be our LAST MISSION, even if we did not know it. We encountered an AMBUSH, and I was locked in a Genjutsu. It defeated me, but did not kill me. I was in a near DEATH experience, but I survived. I woke, and found grave markers of my brother, my friends, and my leader. The only one that was not there…I knew I had to find him. I had to protect him. I have to find RAYU!_

_Therefore, I know who it is, and I do not really know why I know what I know. Masashi was out to try to protect me, but in the process tried to kill me. I feel that he is insane, grieved at the loss of his brother and friends. He did not fare as well as I did._

_I thought him dead, but I had never found his body that day that I buried my squad mates. So, Instead I made an empty grave and marked it as his. I know now that he has some purpose, but he does not know what it is._

_I am dead now, by the time you read this. I know that this has been a terrible blow to you, but don't worry. I won't stay dead long. I have been enlightened in a way that I thought impossible. Listen to Sarah. She will be branded with my Seal, in hopes that I may rise again and stop Masashi._

_However, Masashi seems obsessed with the Seal. He may come after Sarah, so I suggest you guard her at all times with a guard of ANBU. The physical weakness of Masashi…is not an easy one. He is well versed in the Brutal arts of the Sand, and I know of only one way to stop him._

_Masashi is still Masashi, no matter what he has done, and all you have to do…is reason with him. His mental weakness is that he prefers to talk instead of take action, and you must exploit that. My mistake was to attack, when I could have reasoned and talked. Please, don't hurt him, but protect Sarah to the best of your abilities. Listen to Sarah…she will tell you of what is to follow._

Tsunade looked up from the letter, and everyone was silent, but everyone was looking at Sarah. She felt the pressure of their stares, but she knew she had to tell them without seeming crazy.

She cleared her throat, and began. "Rayu is dead…but like he said, he won't remain dead for long. If everything goes as it should, I can release Rayu. You see, his spirit is held inside of the Seal. As soon as the seal appeared on me, my consciousness retreated inside the Seal.

There, I met Rayu, Kenshin, and their four other Ancestors. The generational portion of the Seal seems to hold onto the souls of its previous inheritors, and the person with the seal may visit them for their wisdom. We didn't have much time together, but Rayu is fine.

His father will be trying to unlock his memories, while I practice a technique to purge the seal, releasing Rayu's spirit, which will go back to his body. Once that is accomplished, Rayu will come back with his full memories. I know this sounds far-fetched, but please believe me.

I…I can't show you anything that would help you believe me, but this is real. If I can perform the technique that he showed me…then maybe we can help Masashi."

She ended, and everyone was silent, Sarah's face turned red, and she was embarrassed. Tsunade was the first to speak. "Well, even if this is true, I'm still doing as he suggested and putting you under the guard of two ANBU members. If it is Masashi, and I've read up on each member of his old squad, he's going to be difficult. Masashi is a strong Chunin, just like everyone else in Rayu's squad. They were the strongest Chunin out there right then…they were even getting ready to take the tests to be appointed as Jonin. But, I'm going to keep you under guard at all times over the next few days."

Sarah nodded, and Tsunade motioned for Shizune to go fetch a couple of ANBU. Shizune left the room, and Sarah's parents spoke. "Sarah…we believe you. But, after three days, the body starts to stink! What are we going to do with his body?"

Karen spoke softly. "Sarah…are you completely sure that this happened? I want to believe it, I really do, but I can't be sure of these things. Not only is it impossible to bring back the dead, but to do so would surely cost you your life."

The room got silent, and Rayu's mother spoke. "Sarah. I believe you. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. But, Karen is right. If you try to bring him back, there's no guarantee that you'll survive."

Tsunade nodded. "It would basically be a useless sacrifice. The Chakra is absorbed, and you most likely will die if you attempt this 'Technique' that Rayu told you about."

Sarah shook her head. "I asked about that, and he says thanks to the engi portion of the seal, I don't have to worry about it."

Tsunade's eyes lit up. "Yes…yes! He's right! I completely forgot about the Chakra multiplier! You could pull it off!"

Sarah nodded. "I'm going to. I need to practice this technique for the next three days, and I need to prepare."

Everyone nodded, some still not truly believing this would work. Tsunade smiled and hugged Sarah. She said, "Sarah, I'm so sorry. But, just tell us what you need for the preparations, and I will supply it."

Sarah smiled. "I don't need anything. But thank you. All I need right now…is to go home and rest."

Everyone nodded. It was 8:30, and everyone was tired and sad. They discharged Sarah from the hospital, and went home. Sarah tried her best to seem happy and hopeful, and did her best to keep in the feeling of despair that was building.

As soon as everyone was in bed and asleep, Sarah let out her emotions. She cried into her pillow, for near two hours. She cried herself to sleep, and when she did sleep, she dreamed of Rayu's soft smile.

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Okay…this chapter isn't as good as I had planned it, but, it came out good enough to get the point across. I'll be waiting a little while before posting the next segment of the story. I feel like I'm getting burned out, so I need to replenish my imagination and energy. Let me know what ya think! Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14: Day 1

Okay readers, this is chapter fourteen. (Obviously.) Now, the next three chapters are going to be the three days that Sarah is experiencing without Rayu. They will be mushy/somewhat-emotional girly stuff. However, I decided to slow down the pace of this fan fiction a little bit, instead of speeding through it like a bullet. Therefore, this chapter will be her first day without Rayu.

commits Hara-kiri I am sorry! Really, I am! I will be a better writer, I swear! LOL

Chapter 14: Day 1

Sarah woke up, later than she had ever woken up before, at 9:30 am. She groggily raised herself up so she was sitting up in her bed. Her four-poster canopy bed had with a silk covering veil around it, white fluffy covers, and two white fluffy pillows. She stretched her arms above her head, and groaned.

She shook her head, thinking. _This is strange. Usually mom and dad wake me up, and Rayu would be here waiting for me to come to practice with him._ She exited her bed, brushing aside the silk curtains, and adjusting her white cotton nightgown that came down to her mid-thigh. She walked over to her vanity, and rubbed her eyes.

She thought about her dream last night and shivered. She had dreamed that Rayu had died, that he had given her his Seal, that she had met his father and ancestors, and that she was going to bring him back to life. She shivered, cold and afraid of that dream.

She undressed and changed into some loose shorts that came down to her knees, and a white tank top. She slipped on her kunai holster and tied her ninja headband on her head. She was about to brush her hair, picking up the brush and moving her hair away from her neck, when she saw it. She saw Rayu's seal.

Reality crashed in, smothering her and suffocating her. She stumbled backwards, and sat down onto her bed heavily. Tears sprang to her eyes as she remembered Rayu's death, and she put her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she softly sobbed.

She lay back down onto her bed, curling up into a ball. She sobbed, and brought the covers back up over her body, hiding herself and cutting herself off from the world. The only thing she felt was utter desperation and like she was alone.

She continued to cry for a good ten minutes, running the events of yesterday through her mind, until she heard a soft knock on her door. She answered loudly, "Who is it?"

"Sarah, you have visitors." Her mother said, opening the door.

Sarah sat up, eyes red and puffy from crying. "Who?" She did not really feel like seeing anyone, but she was curious.

"It's Tamari, Lana and Rachel." Her mother said hesitantly.

"I really don't-" She was about to say that she didn't feel like seeing anyone, when Tamari opened the door. Rachel and Lana both walked in, taking small nervous steps.

They both had their eyes on the ground, hiding their faces. However, Sarah noticed that Rachel's shoulders were shaking…she was either laughing or crying. Then she noticed a single tear fall from Tamari's right eye, and Tamari hastily wiped it away.

Sarah felt her emotions welling up again and she whispered, half-choked by tears, "Guys…come here." She patted the bed, indicating open spaces for them to sit next to her.

Rachel, Lana, and even Tamari all walked over and sat on the bed, and then they heard the door click shut. Karen had shut the door so they could have some privacy.

"I have a question before anything else, Sarah. Why are there two ANBU Black Ops Members in your living room?" Tamari asked, a strange look in her eyes.

Sarah was surprised, until she remembered that she was going to be under guard for the next three days. Sarah wiped away a tear that she felt rolling down her face, and turned to her three friends, who were all sitting on her left. "How much have they told you?" She asked.

Tamari shook her head. "Nothing except that he died last night in the hospital…something about internal bleeding."

Sarah took a deep breath, and calmed herself. "Rayu was wounded, after he left my place and went to a house that Tsunade granted him. He was going inside when he heard noises, and he decided to investigate it. He went upstairs, and then he found the dead Ninja from yesterday afternoon that I had seen. Also, he found the killer.

The killer attacked Rayu, and after a little bit of fighting, Rayu was stabbed pretty bad in his right shoulder, and the killer ran off. Rayu managed to make it back here and to press the buzzer and ask me for help, before he collapsed. I ran down to the front, where Rayu was, and I saw him unconscious on the ground. My father and I ran him to the hospital, and after a couple hours, I called…I called Asaki Watanabi.

The nurse then came to get us, and told us that Rayu was awake and wanting to speak to us. She said that it was really weird since he had lost so much blood, but we all went anyway.

He…he looked so beat up, but I was so happy he was alive. He asked my mom and dad to get him a pad of paper and a pen, and then he was introduced to Asaki. I told him that I had been so afraid, and then he told me that he had been afraid too. I mean, everyone is afraid at times, but I've never really seen him afraid or even heard about him being afraid.

My mom went home, and my dad got Rayu his pen and paper, with which Rayu started to write. It was as if he forgot where he was, and just immediately started to write. Asaki then whispered to me that he felt something was wrong. He didn't know what, but he had never been wrong before.

Then…Rayu put down his papers and ripped out four of them. He had written a letter to Tsunade with the details of his attack, and he told me to get them to Tsunade as soon as possible.

He…he had started to cry, and I realized that Asaki was right. There was something wrong. I set down the papers he gave to me, and then I asked him what was wrong.

He ignored my question and asked Asaki what our story was. Asaki told him, and Rayu stopped crying by the time Asaki was finished. Rayu then turned to me…and he said that he had hoped to make me a house. He had hoped that he would present it to me once I graduated his training sessions in six months, and then he hoped we would get married. I was so happy, and then I realized that he had been saying, 'hoped'.

I asked what he meant, and I was crying. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what to do. He told me…" She paused, combating her emotions. She won after a moment, able to keep her emotions in check, and continued. "He told me that he had lost too much blood. He told me that his wound was open again, and that the doctors had thought that they had fixed him, but they hadn't."

I had placed my left hand on his wounded shoulder earlier, and I glanced down at it. I pulled away my hand and saw that blood was seeping through the bandages, and I had blood on my hand. I yelled for Asaki to run and get the doctors, and Asaki ran out of the room.

He asked…he asked for me to forgive him. He said that he had wanted to be here for me so bad. He was bleeding really badly." She felt awkward saying the next part, but she did anyway. "I…I kissed him. I told him that it was my fault because I wasn't there for him, but he said it wasn't. He told me to stay protected and around friends, because the person who attacked him might come after me. He told me he loved me, and then we kissed again."

She let herself smile a little bit as she was swept back to the particular part of her memory. "It felt like time slowed down, just for us, and it felt like we were flying. I…I just wanted to give him something to hang onto life for, but it didn't….but it didn't work."

She started to cry softly, tears running down her face. "He…he died. He died, and the doctors came in. I backed off, and then they started to check him over, trying to figure out a way to save him. But, they couldn't save him. He had lost too much blood and he couldn't have been resuscitated."

She broke down, and together, the three friends cried. Tamari, Lana, Rachel and Sarah all embraced and cried together. Sarah noted that Lana cried more so than Tamari, Rachel, or even herself. She sobbed out, "Lana…what's…wrong?"

Lana sniffled, and wiped away the steady stream of tears that seemed to never stop. "I…I keep thinking…that I could have left in a…better way than I had…I never…knew that it would be the last time I saw him!" Every time she paused, she would cry a little, and then continue.

Tamari, Rachel, and Sarah all embraced Lana, and after a few minutes, they managed to stop crying. Rachel, who sat closest to Sarah, noticed the seal on Sarah's neck. She whispered out, "Sarah…what's on your neck? Didn't…didn't Rayu have that symbol?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes. He…before he died, he gave it to me. He transferred it onto my body so that I could bring him back to life."

Tamari, Rachel, and Lana all gave her a questioning look. "What do you mean, 'bring him back to life'? It's impossible to raise the dead."

"No it's not. I…I cannot tell you everything yet, but I can tell you that I am going to perform a technique that will bring him back to life in two more days. When he comes back, we'll tell you everything, I swear." Sarah said, wishing she could say more.

The girls nodded uneasily and Tamari whispered, "So…that's why you have Anbu Guards? Because someone may try to kill you?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes. But, it's not just anyone. It's Rayu's old Squad mate Masashi Frinizaki."

Tamari exclaimed, "What? How can that be? I thought he was dead?"

Sarah shrugged. "So did Rayu. But, apparently he hadn't been killed in the ambush, but now he's out there and he's insane."

Tamari nodded and said, "Well, we won't be having group training for a couple of days. We were just assigned an out-of-town assignment. Tsunade said that you needed to stay here, so we came to say goodbye."

Sarah sighed. "I hope you guys come back okay. Is it dangerous?"

Tamari shook her head. "No. We just have to escort a guest emissary back to his land. He came without guards, but he wants to go back with guards, just to show his people that we care about them and hopefully it will spark a good-will trust agreement."

Sarah nodded and said. "Well, I hope you guys come back safely."

The girls embraced Sarah and one by one, they left her room. Tamari, the last one to leave, turned as she was about to exit Sarah's room. She said softly, "I hope that you're right about Rayu being able to come back, Sarah. I…I was really starting to like him. We'll be back in a couple of days, so I hope we can see him when we get back."

Sarah nodded, and followed Tamari out of the room. Tamari left, shutting the front door behind them, and Sarah walked into the living room and towards the kitchen. She did a double take as she noticed two ANBU Guards reclining on the couch, near the kitchen. One had a bird mask with spiky black hair sticking up over the mask and one had a dog mask with a brown ponytail hanging behind his head. It never failed to amaze her how amazing the ANBU were.

She smiled, and was surprised when the bird-masked ANBU coughed and stood. He had a deep voice, and she wondered what he needed. He casually rested his right hand on the sheathed short-sword at his side, and spoke. "Sarah Kasairoze…I…I am deeply sorry to hear about Rayu. I was the first one to meet him on his way back to the village, and I like him immensely, even though we met for maybe five minutes tops. I just wanted to tell you that should Masashi attack…we won't let him get near you."

Sarah smiled. This guard may have seemed intimidating, but she knew he was just another person behind the mask. "Thank you very much. Have either of you eaten yet?" She asked, doing her best to stay polite.

They both nodded, and she pictured them smiling politely behind their masks. "Yes, thank you, Ms. Kasairoze. We've already eaten." This time the dog-masked ANBU spoke.

Sarah smiled, and then walked into the kitchen, where her mother was. She was just finishing breakfast, and Sarah noticed that her mother's eyes were red and puffy. Sarah walked over to her mother, silently. Her bare feet made no sound as she softly walked on the linoleum tiles. She hugged her mother, who was sobbing.

Karen wiped a few tears away and half-giggled, "I'm sorry, sweetie. Here's your breakfast." Sarah didn't take the plate immediately, but hugged her mother a bit more. She was giving comfort, as well as receiving it. Today would be a difficult day, but she wouldn't be going through it alone.

She then took her plate, grabbed a fork, and sat down at the table. Her mother followed suit, after taking off her apron, and they both ate in silence. They could hear the ANBU guards talking softly, but they couldn't hear what they were saying.

Sarah spoke softly. "Mom…do we need any errands run today? If you need anything done, just tell me and I'll do it." Sarah's plan was to stay busy, to stay so busy that she wouldn't have time to think of Rayu.

Her mother nodded. "You read my mind. We both need to stay busy today. So, today we can go to shop at the markets and then after that we might be able to do some girl shopping, and then we can come home and deep clean the house."

Sarah giggled. She imagined the ANBU guards having to stand among the girly dress racks, guarding her, and trying to preserve their dignity. She told her mother, and her mother giggled. "I guess we'll make our shopping quick, for their sake."

They quickly finished their food, and while her mother washed the plates, Sarah walked out of the kitchen and over to the ANBU. She smiled apologetically and said, "Umm, today, we're going to do a few things outdoors. We'll be going to the market, and then we'll be girl shopping for a bit. After that, we'll be coming back here."

The ANBU looked at each other, and the bird-masked ANBU sighed. "The markets…that's one of the hardest places to guard people at. There are so many places for someone to hide and ambush you at, he could even walk straight up to you and attack you before we would be able to see him. Could we convince you not to go?"

Sarah thought about it for a moment. She shook her head. "Rayu explained his seal to me, and said that the seal protects the user and it can even slow time. I think that with the seal, and you two, I should be fine."

The ANBU guards exchanged another look, and then they shrugged. "While it isn't the best choice, I guess we can't do anything more than advise. So, we'll go along with you on this decision."

Sarah smiled. "Thank you."

The dog-masked ANBU guard spoke. He stood to his full height, and Sarah found herself looking at a 6'4" ANBU guard. "However, if we order you to do something, you had better follow the order. We will only order you to do something if it is necessary in saving your life, so remember that. You won't really see us in the market place, but if you hear someone shout an order, follow that order. Understand?"  
Sarah nodded, fully aware that not only were they her superiors in rank, but in strategy and they had seen more than she probably ever would. Karen walked out of the kitchen, grabbed her purse, and smiled. "Well, is everyone ready?"

Sarah smiled and said, "Yes." She was surprised when the ANBU guards quickly initiated the _Tora_, or Tiger, hand sign and a puff of smoke quickly hid them from view. When the smoke cleared a few seconds later, two old women were standing in the same place that the two muscled ANBU had been.

One old woman was wearing a blue coat and a bonnet, and the other was wearing a flowery coat and a yellow bonnet. They nodded and walked, or more like waddled, towards the front door. The one in the blue coat walked out the front door, and the flowery-coated one smiled. She (or he) said kindly, "Are you ready to go or not? Let's go, whippersnappers!"

Her comment made Sarah and Karen laugh as they walked out the front door. The disguised ANBU member smiled and croaked out, "I've always wanted to say that! Hehehe!"

They all laughed and walked out of the door, and went to the elevator and waited with Sarah's guards. Sarah was sure that today would be busy, but not in a hard way. She hoped that there was no need for her guards, and fervently hoped that Masashi was gone and wasn't as obsessed with the Seal as Rayu thought he was.

Masashi Frinizaki, thirteen-year-old Chunin and once good friend to Rayu Tazamaki, was crying. He was on top of a flat-roofed house, lying on his side and letting the morning sun caress his pale yet dirty skin. He had left his temporary hideout, the house that he had been attacked at, only returning late at night so that he could grab something.

Tightly gripped in his gloved right hand, was the headband of the ninja he had killed. The smooth blue fabric was blood stained slightly, and the sun glared off the metal of the headband, half-obscuring the strange symbol in the center of the headband.

Masashi was crying, because he had learned that he had killed Rayu. He had not meant to kill him, he only wanted to hinder him, to stop him from following Masashi to a new hideout. Masashi had seen Rayu run out of the house in a blur, and had followed him. He had seen him collapse in front of Sarah's apartment building, and moments later, Sarah came running.

Masashi realized how bad he had wounded Rayu, and watched from a distance with horror. He had not meant to hurt him that bad. Masashi wasn't even sure how he had injured Rayu. Everything was a blur, and it seemed like he hadn't been in control of his own body.

He had sat outside the window of Rayu's hospital room, and listened in to Rayu's last conversation with Sarah. He shed tears, realizing that he had killed his best friend. When he had seen Sarah clutch her neck after Rayu died, however, he realized that somehow she had gained the Seal.

He had followed the families as they placed Sarah in a new room, and he had listened in on Sarah reading Rayu's last letter. He was surprised at how much Rayu had gathered, and suspected some kind of divine revelation. However, at the news that Rayu thought him insane, and dangerous, Masashi had been stunned. He had been stunned further when he had heard that Rayu would be coming back to life in three days.

However, nothing could ever be the same. They thought that he had meant to kill Rayu, but that was not the case! He had been trying to protect Rayu…protect him from the Demons. He had run off, away from the hospital, and ran back to the house where Rayu had found him. He had untied the headband from the corpse, and fled, aware that Tsunade would send people to investigate the house.

He had fallen asleep on the roof he was now crying on. He had woken, and then realized what had happened yesterday. He had started to cry, and he realized that something was wrong with him. He should never have fought Rayu…what had he been thinking? Why had he tried to fight Rayu at all?

Masashi stood, staggering wearily, and racked his brains for hints of why he did why he did. Was he under the control of someone? Had someone followed him? At that thought, he looked around, as if expecting to see someone watching him, waiting to stalk him.

He shook his head, and thought hard back to yesterday. He remembered the teachings of his teacher, Tannith Sukara, on how to determine if your mind has been tampered with. He quickly ran through the memories of yesterday when Rayu barged into the room. He inspected them closely, looking for a disturbance of any kind, any kind of irregularity.

He found nothing, and realized how desperately he had hoped that someone had tampered with his memories so he would have an excuse. What in the world had possessed him to hurt his best friend? Was he really insane?

He had to find Sarah. He had to tell her that he wasn't insane! He had to warn her, that not only had Rayu been in danger, but he was, and so was she. He staggered to the edge of the roof, and was surprised as he looked down. He was overlooking the markets, above the crowds of people, and something caught his eye.

Weaving through the crowds and buying foods and supplies with her mother, was Sarah Kasairoze. It was hard not to see her, because her red hair was like a flag. His heart raced. He could clear his account now!

Then he remembered that Sarah would have ANBU Guards. He didn't know how many, but he guessed it would be three or four. He quickly glanced at the people around Sarah, looking for the ANBU Guards. He knew they would be disguised, but he knew that they would stay near Sarah at all times. It took a few minutes, but he was able to spot two old women who stayed relatively close to Sarah.

They walked like old ladies, they talked like old ladies, and they talked like old ladies, but their mannerisms weren't those of old women. They gave subtle hints, ones that he wasn't sure if he even saw. They were good at hiding themselves, but they couldn't completely extinguish the subtle way a man acts. Masashi grinned, and was aware that he could at least prevent the guards from attacking him.

He reached into a pouch tied around his waist, attached to his pants, and pulled out a handful of sand. He put the headband that was in his left hand into his front left pocket, and prepared his plan. He felt his adrenaline rush as he thought of his plan, and he chuckled. Assuming that those two ANBU were the only ones, he would be able to quickly talk to Sarah, and then leave.

He jumped down off the rooftop, making sure that he would land behind the two old women. He just hoped that they were really the ANBU guards, and not two innocent old women. He landed behind the two old women, who turned around faster than they should have been able to at their age. He quickly shifted some sand to both hands, and extended his hands. His hand was flat, like a knife, and he jabbed it straight into their chests. The disguise was cast off, revealing two well-muscled ANBU guards.

Masashi yelled, "Sand Spread!" At the announced attack, he surged his Chakra into the sand that was sticking to his hand. The Sand surged up the men's bodies, expanding and gathering more sand and dust from the air, and within a few milliseconds, faster than the ANBU could react, their bodies were encased in sand. He surged his Chakra once more, hardening the sand so they couldn't break out, and withdrew his hand.

The crowd around him had just realized what was going on, and began to run away from him, screaming. Masashi simply walked forward, towards a confused Sarah Kasairoze. Sarah looked around, obviously looking for her guards. The streets cleared as people ran indoors, leaving the two paralyzed guards, Masashi, Sarah, and her mother in the streets.

Sarah's eyes widened as she saw him, and whispered in terror. "_Masashi_."

Masashi walked forward, and was surprised when Sarah's mother quickly stepped in front of her daughter. She was acting as a shield. Masashi shook his head, and spread his arms away from his body, indicating he meant no harm. Karen didn't move, but stared coldly at him. He felt his body shiver in fear of the older woman.

Sarah stepped out from behind her mother, and pulled her mother away from Masashi. Masashi smiled in greeting and said, "Sarah. I've never really met you in person, but I'm sure you know who I am." He had hoped that she would be receptive to him, but he knew that he would have to try harder.

He pulled out the headband from his left pocket, and extended it, making sure she saw the symbol. "Sarah…the Demons are here." He said, and saw her shiver. She knew what he was talking about. He grinned and figured he had better explain, just to make sure.

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Sarah's blood ran cold when the crowd started to scream and run, and she knew what was happening. She told her mother. "Masashi is here." She said, and looked around for her guards.

She spotted them when the streets cleared, and she saw them encased in sand. Masashi walked towards her, a smile on his lips. The boy was only thirteen, but he scared her. She let his name escape from her lips in a whisper of terror. "_Masashi_."

Her mother stepped in front of her, presenting a shield for her daughter. Sarah was too afraid to move, but she saw Masashi shake his head and spread his arms away from his body, indicating he had no weapons and meant no harm.

Sarah regained her senses, and gently pulled her mother away from Masashi in case he tried to attack. She then turned to him, and felt a cold shiver crawl up her spine when he smiled at her. Rayu's killer…was right here…standing in front of her, and he was smiling.

"Sarah. I've never really met you in person, but I'm sure you know who I am." He said, and she was surprised to hear that young voice sound so formal and grown up. It was strange, and frightening.

He drew a bloodstained headband from h is pocket and extended towards her. Her eyes grew wide, and she shivered as she saw the symbol in the middle of the metal plate. He spoke five words that shook her world. "Sarah…the Demons are here." He said.

He grinned, and she felt her heart rate go up. The weird symbol that Rayu said he had seen…glistened in the sunlight. It was a straight line, but at each end was a curved line that went up, and then curved back down, giving it the appearance of horns. She whispered, "I suspected…but I didn't think that they would find us. I had hoped that Rayu would remember eventually, and that he would save us. He was our only hope." As she spoke, she felt her courage build, along with her anger.

"He was our only hope, Masashi. Then…you killed him. You killed the one man that could have beat them and saved us. You killed your own teammate!" She screamed the last part, making sure he understood how bad things were.

He stepped back, as if he had been slapped. However, she didn't let him off the hook. She stepped towards him, and slapped him. He stumbled backwards, tears in his eyes. Her anger was building, and she felt a slight burning on her neck. She ignored it, and continued to speak to Masashi.

"You…you killed him Masashi. Why? Why did you even attack him? You took the oath to protect him, not to kill him! You, Draken, Zennith, Kai, and even Tannith were all supposed to protect him!" She yelled, and he seemed to shrink at the onslaught of her words.

He threw up his hands defensively and dropped the headband. He shivered in fear, and she pitied him. Angry tears rolled down her face, and she demanded an answer. "Why, Masashi?"

Masashi's arms fell by his sides, limp and without will to even fight. Tears rolled down his face as he said, "I don't know. I…I'm not even sure why. I…I didn't mean to. I didn't even want to!"

Sarah's heart melted in pity for this thirteen-year-old. He looked up at her, a strange new look in his eyes. His voice changed as he spoke, and his eyes seemed to give off a strange red glow. "You want to know why, Sarah Kasairoze?" His voice was deeper, manlier, and it sent a chill up her spine.

His voice hissed in amusement. "Because…it's because he's been cursssed! Hehehe!" Sarah's heart stopped. She knew what was happening. Masashi wasn't just cursed…but he had been possessed somehow. Either through a Jutsu, or physically, he had been implanted with an evil presence.

She took a step backwards, and stammered out, "I-I-I r-rebuke you!"

Masashi reeled backwards as if punched. "How dare you, you little wench!" He growled, clutching his gut. He reached down his right leg, and pulled out a kunai.

He rushed at her, kunai gripped so that he could stab her in the heart. The burning on her neck picked up in intensity, and time slowed. She saw Masashi's body moving slowly, seemingly slower than a snail. She stepped a little off to the side, grabbed his arm in her left hand, and his throat in her right hand. Time resumed its normal speed, and the Possessed Masashi stopped in his tracks.

Sarah kicked him in the gut, adding a burst of Chakra to send him flying backwards. He flew through the air, flailing, and slammed into a wall. He groaned, and stood. "It'll take more than that to remove me from this boy!" He chuckled, and she smiled.

"Don't worry. That was just to get you to back off." She said, and then the Possessed Masashi's face went slack. Sarah carefully brought her hands up in front of her, and the Evil Presence flinched. She closed her eyes in concentration, took a deep breath, and began to move her hands.

Within two seconds, Sarah made a total of fifteen hand signs. This Jutsu was unique, taught only to people in her village just for this kind of occasion. _Bird, Ram, Dog, Dragon, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Rat, Tiger, Hare, Horse, Tiger, Ox, Boar, Bird. _She went through the names as her hands made the symbols, her hands nothing more than a blur until she ended on the Bird sign. She felt her Chakra build up, and then release into an external attack.

She yelled, "Divine Separation: Release of the 8 Anchors!" Her eyes flew open, revealing golden irises instead of her natural blue. Her hands glowed with golden energy, and she was glad to see Masashi cower. Her eyes saw Masashi, but at the same time, they saw into the Spiritual realm. She could see a strange, twisted looking creature with eight arms. Each arm ended in a long, sick looking point and each point was buried in Masashi's body. The creature looked like a purple slug of some kind with no eyes and a large mouth full of pointed teeth.

She did not need to glance down to know that underneath her, a golden diagram was on the dirt, glowing. It had strange, yet angelic looking script along the outside of a circle. Inside the circle, there was a strange symbol, almost a star, and at each of the seven points, there was an angelic symbol. The golden glowing diagram cast an eerie glow on her even in the bright morning/afternoon sun.

The edge of the diagram circle barely touched the toes of Masashi, but it was enough to let her do her Jutsu. She hopped forward, roughly five feet, and formed her hands into the shapes of knives, similar to what Masashi did to the ANBU guards. However, she did not just thrust her hands into Masashi's chest.

She could see little red dots where the Dark Creature's arms were impaled into Masashi, and she planned to release his hold. The arms were placed in: the top of Masashi's head, his right shoulder, his left shoulder, his neck, the middle of his spine, his right hip, his left hip, and the last one was actually anchored around the base of Masashi's spine.

She struck each point, on the surface of Masashi's skin, shooting the golden energy from her hands at each impact. The golden energy lanced straight through Masashi's body wherever she struck, injuring the creature's arms and forcing it to withdraw each spindly and evil limb. However, with each impact, it also injured Masashi. It was not a serious injury, but it would hurt nonetheless. Sarah struck seven of the spots, but then she had to strike three times on the eighth spot. The Dark Being did not want to let go.

On her tenth total hit, the creature let go, screeching. She then grabbed the creature, and pulled him towards her, into the middle of the diagram. The creature stumbled, crawling like a spider on its eight legs. The creature seemed blinded, even without eyes, and stayed still. The creature, in the middle of the diagram, became visible to the now sane Masashi, to Karen, and even the two ANBU guards.

Sarah formed the second and last part of the attack that she had learned, and formed seven more hand signs. Her eyes closed in concentration again. _Dog, Hare, Monkey, Ram, Dragon, Boar, and Tiger!_ She thought, and her hands responded accordingly.

She yelled her attack as her Chakra was discharged again. "Divine Separation: Seal of Mortality!"

She opened her eyes, which were still golden, and she bent down where she was. She was at the edge of the circle, and she put her right hand flat down onto one of the symbols at the end of one of the seven points. She grabbed at it, and pulled it straight from the diagram. It glowed in her hand, and she ran forward. She slammed the first symbol into the head of the slimy purple creature, and moved with speed similar to that of Rayu.

She was nothing but a blur of motion as she pulled up the remaining six symbols and slapped them onto the beast along its back, giving it a stripe of symbols down its back. She then backed out, and the beast gave a cry that sounded like someone scraping his or her nails across a chalkboard.

The seal shrunk, leaving only the creature standing there, trembling. The ANBU Guards gave a cry, and with a burst of Chakra, broke out of their Sand Prisons. They pulled their katana's out of the sheaths on their backs, and sprang at the beast.

It gave another cry, which gave Sarah goose bumps, but it was silenced as the men plunged their swords into the beast and killed it. The carcass of the beast collapsed to the ground, and Sarah gave a sigh of relief. Masashi blinked a few times and then mumbled, "Sarah?"

He collapsed to the ground, and the ANBU guards ran over and picked him up. One pulled out cuffs to keep him from escaping, but stopped when Sarah protested. "Wait! He is not dangerous! He wasn't the one who killed Rayu…it was that thing." At the word 'thing', she indicated to the monster's corpse.

The ANBU guards put away the cuffs, and said, "Well, what now?"

The bird-masked ANBU had Masashi in his arms, and he said, "I think we should take him to the hospital first, and then bring Tsunade down to see him."

His companion nodded and said, "Fine. I'll take the carcass of the beast and take it for examination. Sarah…come with us." He turned, whipping his brown ponytail around and he walked towards the dead beast.

She looked at her mom for permission, who simply nodded to signify that she could go. Sarah smiled and said, "Thanks. I'm sorry we didn't get to do a girls day out. I should be back before dinner."

Karen nodded, and watched as her daughter ran off with her two burdened ANBU guards. Sarah followed her guards, one with Masashi in his arms, and one with the dead beast over his shoulder. The words that Masashi spoke before he had been overtaken and possessed echoed in her head. _The Demons are here._

Five hours passed since 10:00 am, when Masashi had been registered to the hospital. It was three pm. Tsunade, Sarah, Shizune, Sarah's two ANBU guards, and a doctor were all in a hospital room with Masashi. Masashi had been fed and well cared for, and Tsunade had just been briefed about their experience with Masashi in the market place.

They were all sitting around Masashi, who was no longer wearing his headband/bandanna. His face was still young looking, but with his messy hair released, he looked his proper age. He was thirteen, but he had been through things that he shouldn't have had to go through. Just like Rayu.

Sarah sat directly at the foot of his bed, so that he would be able to see her. He was in his hospital gown, underneath the soft white covers of the bed. Tsunade had just asked him softly for his story about what had happened, and he was fidgeting.

Sarah could tell that he was struggling with the reality that he had killed one of his best friends, and she spoke up. "Masashi…you don't have to go into detail. All we need is to know what happened and how you survived, and possibly how you could have become possessed." She said this gently.

Masashi looked up at them, his brown/hazel eyes glistening with tears. His eyes were full of emotional pain, and she recognized this look as one that Rayu had used while he was explaining to her the details of his survival. She felt her heart moved, and she felt tears rising as she was whisked back to that moment.

She stood, and walked over to the side of the bed. She sat next to him, and pulled him into an embrace. He put his head onto her bare shoulder, and felt tears fall onto her skin. He sobbed, and she made gentle soothing noises as he let out his emotions.

He spoke while he cried, managing to get out a good amount of information. "Rayu…Rayu was right when he strung the words together that I had painted on the walls of the house. I don't know how, but he knew it as good as I did. Last night when Sarah read the letter to you, Rayu was right. Everything he said was right.

"Back on the night of the ambush, I wasn't killed. I was launched into some kind of illusion world that knocked me into a coma. I guess that they implanted me with that…_creature_. However, when they were all killed, that Genjutsu was released. It took me a while to regain consciousness, but when I did, I found the graves filled and the enemies all strung up to trees.

"I examined the graves, trying to figure out who had survived and put up the graves, and I figured out that it was Rayu. I allowed myself a day of rest, trying to recuperate after that Genjutsu. When I was ready, I took off after Rayu. I was obsessed with him, I admit that, but only because he was the last living member of my squad. Then…and then when I found him…I killed him. I killed my best friend!"

At this, he broke down, and it took more than five minutes to calm him down. Tsunade motioned for Shizune to do something, and Shizune walked over to closed hospital door. She opened the door, and made a beckoning gesture with her hand.

Into the room walked a tearful Kurenai Frinizaki, his mother Cherie Frinizaki, and his father Ryubi Frinizaki. Kurenai ran past everyone, and jumped onto Masashi. He laughed, tears still flowing down his face, and embraced his little sister. Masashi's mother wasn't that far behind. While she didn't jump onto Masashi, she came around the bed and embraced him in a bear hug. His father did likewise, and Sarah removed herself from the tangle of limbs.

She smiled, and turned to Tsunade. Tsunade was smiling as well, and she said, "Well, I don't think that we'll get much out of Masashi for a while." She stood, and turned to leave. She said over her shoulder, "Sarah, I would like to talk with you in the privacy of my office, and," she stopped and spoke louder, addressing Masashi, "Masashi, I would like you to report to me after five days of recuperation."

Masashi looked over the huddle of his family and nodded joyfully. Sarah smiled, and followed Tsunade, Shizune, and the two ANBU guards out of the hospital. They all walked in silence, each reflecting in their own thoughts until they were in Tsunade's office.

The walk to the office was short, but the silence throughout the entire trip made it seem longer than it actually was. By the time that they were in Tsunade's office, Sarah was shifting uncomfortably in the chair she had been pointed to. Tsunade seated herself, and Shizune did likewise. Tsunade indicated for the two ANBU members to sit down as well, and they did. Therefore, the two ANBU guards and Sarah were facing Tsunade and Shizune behind the Hokage's desk, and it made Sarah remember the times at the academy when she was sent to the Headmaster's office.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow when Sarah giggled, and asked what was so funny. Sarah shook her head, and made herself stop. She kept her face straight and said, "Nothing. I'm sorry."

Tsunade nodded and said, "Okay…Sarah, you seem to know about the things surrounding Rayu and what has been going on around here more than I do. So, I want you to tell me some things. First, what was that creature? There are no creatures that look like that that have been discovered in the world so far."

Sarah shifted uncomfortably again. "That beast was what was known as a Possessor. It was a Lesser Demon."

Tsunade nodded. "Okay. The ANBU guards said that you performed some kind of Jutsu that we have never heard of before. They said that you hit Masashi, and then pulled something off him, and when it stepped into what looked like some kind of diagram where you had been standing, that demon became visible. What Jutsu did you use?"

Sarah fidgeted while she spoke, becoming nervous. "It was a Jutsu taught to Rayu and me when we were little, it was taught to us from our village. It is two separate Jutsu, but they have to be used together if you want to bring a demon to the Physical Realm. The Jutsu are known as 'Divine Separation: Release of the 8 Anchors', and 'Divine Separation: Seal of Mortality'."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you. Now…what village would you be talking about? Rayu told me that he knew some things, like you two were from a different village, but you knew much more than him. What village taught you that Jutsu?"

Sarah started to sweat. She owed her allegiance to two different villages. The village she had been born in, and the village she had been raised in. She didn't know if the world was ready to find out about her village yet, but she didn't want to lie. "Madame Hokage, I…I would really like to tell you. Believe me, I am thankful for everything that you've done for Rayu and me. But, I'm not sure if you and the world are ready to find out about the village yet. If you want, you can ask Rayu when he comes back with all his memories. But, I don't feel like it's my place to tell you." She said, sweating profusely. She was nervous about where this conversation could go, and how much she would reveal.

Tsunade frowned, clearly not liking Sarah's answer, but she accepted it. "Fine. I will ask Rayu when he is brought back. Now, what other Jutsu from that village do you know? Is there anything that you can teach other people? The Jutsu that you and Rayu can use…is astounding. I have never seen anything like the Jutsu that Rayu used during the trials, and I have a feeling that he knows more." She said, leaning eagerly forward in her chair.

Sarah shrugged. "I only know that Rayu learned the 'Rei Blast' from a memory of his father. I know a few others, but I can only reveal two of them. The others are for my own use only. Think of them as 'clan' secrets which only members of a certain clan can know."

Tsunade nodded and said, "We would be grateful if you could record them in a scroll." She motioned for Shizune, and Shizune brought out an ink bottle, a dip pen, and a blank scroll. Sarah took them, and quickly started to write the instructions on how to perform four Jutsu, two of them being the 'Divine Separation' Jutsu.

It took maybe ten minutes to properly write the instructions, and when she was done, she handed the scroll to Shizune. Tsunade smiled, and said, "Thank you very much, Sarah. Now, I have two more questions for you."

Sarah nodded, indicating she would answer. Tsunade smiled softly. "Are you doing alright since last night?" Her voice was gentle, caring, and even motherly.

Sarah smiled back. "I'm doing okay. I…I miss him, but I know that if I can do things right, I can bring him back."

Tsunade nodded. "Okay. Last but not least: how would you feel about me assigning you to Asaki Watanabi's squad to keep you busy until your squad gets back?"

Sarah considered it, and then said, "I think that I would be fine with it. I need something to keep me busy anyway."

Tsunade smiled. "Good. Tomorrow, you will report to training field 23 and train with Asaki and his Squad."

Sarah nodded, and then stood. The ANBU members also stood and Sarah said, "I won't be needing guards anymore. Thank you two very much for everything you went through today for me."

They inclined their heads politely, and she walked out of the Hokage's office. She was about to start walking down the hall, when she noticed a blur of motion out of the corner of her right eye. Her hand instinctively whipped down and grabbed her kunai, and she turned slightly as she brought up her weapon.

She was startled to find her kunai knife resting lightly on the throat of Asaki Watanabi. He had a look of surprise on his face and he stammered, "W-w-well hello, Sarah."

She flushed a deep red, embarrassed at her actions, and put away her kunai. "I'm so sorry, Asaki. I thought…well, I don't know what I was thinking." She said, lying. She had thought that it might have been an enemy…a Demon.

He smiled gently. "It's okay. I guess I shouldn't have startled you like that. I heard you had been in the hospital, so I ran over there, and then they said that you left with the Hokage. So, I came over here."

Sarah blushed. "How did you hear I was in the hospital?" She asked.

He shrugged, smiling. "I have my sources. You see, my uncle is a doctor. I asked him if he saw you in the hospital, to call me and let me know."

Sarah smiled. "Thank you for being concerned about me."

He nodded, smiling still. "Um…I came by to see if you would like to go out to dinner." As soon as he said this, they both turned a deep red, and he quickly added a sentence. "I mean, as friends you know. To, uh, see how you are handling everything."

They stood awkwardly for a moment, before Sarah could speak up. "Um, I'd have to ask my mom. She was planning on just her and me for dinner, so I would have to call and ask."

Asaki nodded, and mumbled a little. "I…uh…I already asked your mother. She said that it was fine just as long as you were home before 11:00."

Sarah flushed a deeper red. He had called her mother and asked? He must have really wanted to see her. She cleared her throat, wiped a little bit of perspiration of her forehead, and stammered, "W-w-well, I…uh…I'm not really dressed up to go anywhere." She indicated her loose red shorts, her white tank top, and her ninja sandals.

He smiled. "Well, it just so happened that your mother thought that through and told me to give you this." He extended his right hand, which had been behind his back the entire time, and showed her a plastic bag.

Sarah took it, and was surprised to see a beautiful dress from her own closet. It flattered her figure, and it was modest. Sarah smiled. "Well, let me go get changed."

Asaki nodded, and pulled his left hand from behind his back. He had a plastic bag, which she guessed held his clothes. They both smiled, and walked a little ways down the hall to the bathrooms. As soon as she was in the bathroom, Sarah quickly went into a stall and changed.

She was surprised to see that underneath the dress, in the bag, her mother had put some makeup and a pair of high-heels. She shook her head. _What is she trying to do?_ She thought. Then she remembered. Her mother did not believe that Rayu was coming back, so she was probably making sure that if he did not come back, Sarah would have a potential someone.

Sarah washed away all the sweat she had accumulated, put on her dress, took off her ninja headband and brushed her hair, put on her makeup, and put on her high heels. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and was surprised. Her mother had packed all the right things that would make Sarah look stunning.

Sarah had her red hair brushed the way she normally had it, but this time she didn't wear her ninja headband. Her hair was shining, and she was astounded. Her mother must have put some kind of substance on the brush she had included in the bag. Sarah wore a light covering of makeup, nothing more than some mascara, eyeliner, a light powder for her cheeks, and a soft pink lipstick.

Her dress was a sleeveless pink silk dress that came down to her knees, had a slightly open back that revealed her soft white skin, and a low cut neck that didn't reveal anything. It was seductive, yet modest. It was beautiful, yet plain. Around her waist was a darker pink silk strip of fabric that she tied to a beautiful knot behind her back. Her white high-heels had been cleaned and looked brand new, and she was surprised at how beautiful she looked. She felt guilty immediately, sad that she had never dressed up for Rayu like this.

She put her discarded clothes and shoes into the plastic bag, along with her makeup, and tied it off. She then took a few deep breaths, examining herself once more. She was surprised that she could pick out the spot where Rayu's seal was, rather easily. It was in plain sight, but nobody would really notice it. She calmed herself, then walked out of the bathroom, and saw Asaki waiting patiently for her.

She smiled at him, and was surprised to see him wearing a black tuxedo, nice dress shoes, a bow tie, and his usually spiked black hair was brushed down and gelled. He looked handsome, and his green eyes sparkled as he saw her. His mouth opened a little in a smile, and she could tell that his breath had been taken away.

They stood, silent, a couple of feet away from each other, looking each other over. Finally, Asaki was able to get out a greeting. "W-wow. You look divine! Has the beautiful goddess decided to grace this mere mortal with her radiant presence?" He asked, teasing slightly, and taking her left hand in both of his. He kissed her hand, being all gentleman, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

He kept his eyes locked on hers as he kissed her hand, and she almost fainted. She smiled, and as he straightened and presented his arm for her to hook hers in, said, "Thank you very much, Asaki. You look really great, too."

She hooked her arm in his, and they walked down the hall, silent but content. She was surprised to see a rickshaw waiting for them, and asked, "Where are we going?"

He simply gave her a charming smile and said, "Oh…here and there."

He was being elusive on purpose, but she enjoyed it. He helped her into the rickshaw, and then climbed on himself. He smiled at the sturdy man who was pulling the cart, and said, "You know where to go."

The man smiled, and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Watanabi."

The man pulled the cart, and soon, the two friends were riding along, watching the sunset. The beautiful display took Sarah's breath away, and Asaki seemed pleased. "I planned it all. I was hoping that whether you were at your house, or anywhere, we would be able to do this tonight. It's going to be amazing."

Sarah looked at him and smiled, and they rode in silence as the sun went down.

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Well, that's then end of Chapter 14! Let me know what you guys think, and Chapter 15 will be on its way soon! Thanks for reading!

Here are the clarification explanations of the two Jutsu that I invented. This will help you understand what exactly it does. Next chapter will be the dinner between Sarah and Asaki and then her experiences before she goes to sleep.

Oh, by the way, a rickshaw is: a cart that can carry one or two people that is pulled by a person as a method of transportation.

DIVINE SEPERATION: RELEASE OF THE 8 ANCHORS

The 8 anchors are the traditional 8 spots that a Possessor usually attaches itself to its host, so the Release of the 8 Anchors is self-explanatory. The user of the Jutsu draws upon a heavenly power, and a heavenly diagram appears underneath them. The seven points of the star-like symbol are symbolic of perfection.

This Jutsu allows the user to see into the Spiritual Plane of Existence, and this Jutsu is meant only for Demons, which possess their hosts through the 8 anchors. The target of this Jutsu has to have some body part in the diagram, which is roughly 5 feet around the user, otherwise it would not work. The user then shoots a painful energy, similar to the HYUGA'S ability to shoot Chakra out of the Chakra Holes in their palms for their attacks, into one of the 8 points. It causes physical damage on the host, related to the force of a punch, but the pain experienced by the Possessor is magnified by 10x that of a punch.

Once the Possessing Demon is removed, the user can either pull them to the physical realm to kill them, or leave them be. When they are left alone, they will not die but will simply hover around their ex-host waiting for another opportunity to possess them.

DIVINE SEPERATION: SEAL OF MORTALITY

This is the second half of the Divine Separation Jutsu. This Jutsu locks the Possessing demon in a kind of stasis, paralyzing the demon so that they can't attack the user. Once the demon is successfully trapped inside of the diagram, the seven symbols on the outside of the seven-pointed star-like symbol are used to seal the Demon to the physical realm. The demon experiences a few moments of disorientation, presenting the user with enough time to kill the demon with a powerful Jutsu,

While the demons in the Physical realm aren't as strong as when they're in the spiritual realm, if you miss your window of opportunity while the demon is pulled into the physical realm, they will be 10X harder to kill.


	15. Chapter 15: Day 1 Part 2

Chapter 15: Day 1 part 2

Sarah smiled as the rickshaw pulled to a stop, because Asaki had made her cover her eyes until he told her to open them. He thanked the driver and told him to be back in by ten o'clock, in . Asaki then got out, and then guided Sarah out of the cart.

She was guided, blindly stepping forward and hoping she wouldn't run into anything, towards a soft noise that sounded of muted conversations and the soft clanking of dishes. She could smell the scent of candles, smells of assorted foods, and the cologne that Asaki was wearing.

Finally, they stopped, and Asaki chuckled, "You can look now. And, I don't want to hear any objections from you once you see where we are."

Sarah removed her hands from her eyes, and blinked a few times to adjust to the light. They were inside one of the most expensive and fanciest restaurants in Konoha. They had velvety red carpets, polished wood tables, shining silverware, cream-colored walls, the finest silk napkins, crystal chandeliers on the ceiling, candles on each table, a dance floor separate from the eating section where a live band played soft romantic songs, and this place had waiters catering to you.

She gasped, and she remembered Asaki's words of 'no objections'. She turned to him, and asked, "Asaki…how can you afford this? I can't eat here if you're paying for it! I don't want to bankrupt-" She was cut off by a motion from Asaki.

He raised a hand and gently placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. He said softly, "It's okay. My father is paying for it. He thinks it's a great idea for me to help you through this time, and he said that he would pay for a comforting time. I didn't realize he meant here, at first, but then I decided if my dad's footing the bill it should be fine."

Sarah smiled as he took his finger away from her lips. "Well, your dad is one of the richest men in Konoha." She said, and she giggled. She didn't know why she giggled, and she almost laughed at the way she giggled. All she knew was that this was one of the nicest things that anyone had ever done for her.

Asaki smiled, and then a maitre de stepped towards them, smiling. He wore a tuxedo and a bow tie, and had his black hair slicked back and brushed. He even had a handlebar mustache. "Ahh…Mr. Watanabi. The table your father set up for you and the charming young woman has been prepared and is ready. If you would follow me, I will show you to your table." He said, and started to walk away.

Sarah and Asaki followed him, and Sarah was surprised to see that they were led into a VIP room, for just the two of them. The room was smaller, but it still had a dance floor, live musicians, and chandeliers. The table was set up beautifully, with a silk tablecloth, silk napkins, comfortable chairs, scented candles, and a very fancy menu.

Asaki thanked the Maitre De and pulled out Sarah's chair for her. She sat down, and was scooted in to the table. Asaki sat down in the chair across from her, and they were presented menus. Two waiters were stationed by the doors, and then the doors were shut, blocking out the noise of the other room.

Sarah was smiling softly. "Thank you very much, Asaki."

He smiled right back, and replied, "No problem, Sarah. Anything for my closest friend."

They looked down at their menus and quickly ordered their drinks, which were sodas. A waiter took their order, and quickly walked out of the room to get their orders taken care of. Asaki and Sarah were quiet while they ordered their food, but once they had that taken care of and the second waiter ran off to get their food ordered, they gradually began to talk.

"Sarah…I know that this time is tough for you, but don't be afraid to confide in me. You can tell me anything…anything in the world. That's what friends are for." Asaki said softly.

Sarah nodded and replied. "I know. I want to thank you, Asaki, for being there for me through the years. You've been a great friend."

He smiled at the compliment, and asked, "So…they have Rayu's killer in custody?"

Sarah shook her head. "Masashi wasn't Rayu's killer. Masashi had been possessed by a demon, and he had been under the Demon's influence. The demon is dead now, so I guess we could say that Rayu's killer is dead."

Asaki nodded, taking this in. "So, Masashi is fine then?"

Sarah shook her head again. "No. He…he might have been under the control of a demon, but he feels the burden still. It was his hand that threw the kunai, it was his fists that beat Rayu, and so he looks at it as he killed his best friend. The only friend of his that was still alive. So, he's taking it rather hard."

Sympathy was etched on Asaki's face as he heard this, and he shook his head. "The poor guy. He's what, 13?" At this, Sarah nodded. Asaki shook his head again. "He's been through something that he never should have had to. Do you know what he plans to do now? Will he stay a ninja, will he quit, or what?" He asked.

Sarah shrugged, and then thanked the waiter that brought their drinks to them. Asaki also thanked the waiter, and then out of habit, the two performed a Jutsu that would detect poison. It had been so firmly drilled into their heads by their instructors that at every meal they did it.

They both saw each other do it, and then laughed at the absurdity. Asaki waited for the laughter to die down before sipping his soda. He then asked. "How are you dealing with his death, Sarah?"

Sarah was aware of the song, haunting song that was being played by the musicians, and she realized how well it suited her answer. "It's difficult. It really is. I mean, this morning I expected him to come into my room and wake me up for training. It's…it's just so hard to come to grips with the fact that he's dead.

"I won't get to see him smile, I don't wake up to hear him in the kitchen with my parents, trying to learn how to cook. I asked you to leave last night, Asaki, because I wasn't really supposed to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

Asaki nodded, encouraging her. Sarah felt her heart start to lighten as she spoke, and she was aware that the music seemed to once again, reflect the change. "You see the seal on my neck?" She asked. She turned her head away, and lifted her hair away from her neck a little bit, just so he could see it clearly.

He nodded, and she continued. "This seal was Rayu's. He transferred it onto my body, which you know. However, what you don't know is that Rayu's soul is slowly being sealed into this seal. In a few days, his soul will be completely sealed in here. However, I know a technique that will purge the seal, and release Rayu's soul. His soul will be transported back to his body, and then he'll come back to life. I know it sounds like wishful thinking, but it isn't." She said this slowly, doing her best to sound sane.

Asaki nodded, took a sip of his soda, and thought about what he had just learned. Sarah could tell that he was digesting this information, thinking about whether or not it was true. He finally spoke. "I think that you're telling the truth. You're not one to lie, not unless it's for a really great reason, and I don't think you would lie about something like your fiancée coming back."

She smiled. "You really believe me?"

He nodded, smiling back. "Of course. How could I not believe you?"

She felt so happy, and she said, "Asaki…I don't know what I would do without you. You're so great."

He thanked her, and then they sat in silence for a few moments. "Sarah…when he comes back, will he be different at all?"

Sarah nodded. She answered happily. "Yes. Yes he will be. You see, I know this won't make much sense but I'll tell you anyway. Inside this seal the souls of Rayu's ancestors, and Rayu, live on. Their souls are gathered on a subconscious level, and right now, they're going through with a technique that will unlock all of Rayu's buried memories. He'll remember everything that I know, and possibly a whole lot more."

Asaki did a double take. "Can you go to that gathering?"

She nodded. "Yes. Any time. I could go there right now and talk to him and his father and his ancestors."

Asaki smiled. "Would…would you be able to take other people in there with you?"

Sarah stopped smiling. "I really don't know. I'll ask."

Asaki chuckled, surprised. "You mean you're going to ask them right now?"

She nodded. "Yep. I don't see why you can't meet them if it's possible."

Asaki smiled. "Okay then." He simply folded his hands in his lap, and waited for something to happen.

Sarah closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and cleared her mind of any thoughts. She then thought of the meadow where she had been just yesterday, and almost immediately, she felt a change in temperature and in generally everything.

She opened her eyes, and found herself standing up in the middle of the meadow that she had been in last night. She opened her eyes, and smiled as she saw that in the seal, it was still in the afternoon. It looked exactly like when she had left it. She looked around, and she was surprised to see Ryu, Tanner, Kyle, the elder Rayu, and Kenshin, all standing in a line shoulder to shoulder so that they were all facing her. They all had a stern look on their face, and Sarah became confused.

She realized that she was wearing the clothes she had been wearing in the 'real world', and she blushed a little bit. She took off her high heels and walked over to the line of Ancestors. She stopped three feet away from them and asked, "Where's Rayu?"

The elder Rayu couldn't help but say, "Oh! You're here to see me? How nice!" He turned to his companions and smiled. "See! I told you she would come to like me! It's my ruggedly good looks!" He joked, but it didn't help to deflate the tense mood.

He shrugged, casting an apologetic glance to Sarah. She asked again, this time addressing Kenshin. "Mr. Kenshin? Where's Rayu?"

Kenshin, who was Rayu's father, had a strange look on his face. "Sarah. Rayu's behind us, meditating." He said, and Sarah glanced over his shoulder and saw Rayu sitting cross-legged in front of a pond that she hadn't seen in her earlier visit.

"Oh. Is this one of those times where I can't visit?" She asked, whispering now, hoping she hadn't disturbed Rayu.

"You're welcome here any time, Sarah. But, right now, we need to speak with you." Kenshin said.

Ryu Tazamaki, the oldest, spoke. "Sarah, although we are on different 'planes' right now, the subconscious from the conscious, we can see what goes on in your world. We can look into the pond, and we will see what's going on. Now…while we're sure it's not your intent at all to…how do I phrase this…" He thought for a moment and then said. "For lack of better word, _cheat_, on Rayu. However, we have been able to see what you've been doing since you woke up. We have been able to hide the past few hours from Rayu with our arts, but I suggest that you act in a manner where it's as if Rayu is still in the physical world. Act honorably."

Sarah didn't quite understand. She was getting angry, and she forgot to keep her voice lowered. "What do you mean? How in the world was I doing that to Rayu?"

The older men winced, and Kenshin sighed. They all heard Rayu's voice, "Sarah? Is Sarah here, dad?" and they loosened their formation. They stood around, and Rayu walked slowly towards them. He couldn't see Sarah due to the fact that all the ancestors were blocking his view.

Kenshin smiled at his son, and Sarah felt her heart race as she heard Rayu speak again. "Dad? I thought I heard Sarah's voice. Is she here?"

She could tell that Rayu's father was tense, but he answered his son. "Yes. Sarah is here."

Rayu shouldered his way past his ancestors and found himself face to face with Sarah. Sarah's heart seemed to go into overdrive as she found herself face to face with Rayu, and their eyes locked. She felt her knees start to weaken, and she smiled. He smiled back, and looked her up and down. She felt herself blush, and he chuckled, "Wow. You sure know how to dress up."

She blushed, and the elder Rayu coughed nervously. Sarah couldn't find anything to say, and Rayu seemed to realize that. He looked down at his clothes, the clothes that he usually wore, and looked back at her clothes. "Well, you sure know how to make a guy feel like a slob." He joked.

She didn't know why, but she started to cry as soon as he said that. As she stood there, a look of confusion crossed his face. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry." He said, and he wrapped her up in a hug. She felt his warm skin press against hers, and she hugged him tight, not wanting to let him go.

She cried into his shoulder, and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying." She felt the vibrations in his chest as he spoke.

"Ssshhh, it's okay. It's okay, Sarah." He whispered into her ear. Just hearing him say her name started to calm her. Eventually, she stopped crying, and she looked up at him. Her makeup was smeared, but she didn't care. He smiled at her, and gingerly wiped away her tears without smudging her makeup at all.

She smiled back, and closed her eyes in bliss. She felt their lips meet, a gentle touch, but a touch that made her heart flutter. She felt his right hand wander down to her hip where it stayed, going no lower, and his left hand run through her hair. She broke from their kiss after what seemed like an eternity, but she knew it had been only a few seconds.

"Rayu…I missed you so much." She said, opening her eyes.

His smile disappeared, and he said, "I missed you too. Here, it's always afternoon, and it makes it feel like an eternity is going by whenever you're not around."

Their personal moment was interrupted by multiple coughs from Rayu's ancestors. All of the older men, except for the elder Rayu, were embarrassed. The elder Rayu simply gave them a wink and a thumbs-up. Sarah giggled, and Rayu smiled.

Kenshin cleared his throat and asked, "You came here for something, Sarah?"

She remembered why she was here, and said, "Oh yeah. I was, uh, wondering if it was possible to bring other people here. Like, bring their subconscious here with me."

Rayu looked at his ancestors, also wondering. "Yeah, is it possible? Because, when I get back, maybe if it is possible I could bring Sarah here with me and we could spend some quality time with you, Dad."

Kenshin thought for a moment, and then consulted quietly with the other ancestors. They muttered among themselves for a few seconds, and then they turned back to the two young lovers. "Yes. It's possible to bring someone else's subconscious with you, but I think that we'll actually take the time to instruct you on the matter once Rayu comes back to life." Kenshin said with an uneasy tone.

Rayu immediately knew something was up. He turned to Sarah, and then to his father. He asked quietly, but his words were stern. It was as if he was the father, and his father the son. "Dad? What's going on that you're not telling me?"

Sarah realized why they did not want to teach her the technique to bring someone's subconscious with her, and she became angry. They thought that she was 'cheating' on Rayu with Asaki! Sure, she was enjoying herself, but shouldn't she enjoy her time with her friends?

All of the older men, the older Rayu included, shifted uncomfortably. Sarah angrily told Rayu what had been going on when he had been meditating. "They can see what's happening in my life, just by watching through the pool, but they've been hiding your view of my life for the past few hours. Right now, I'm at dinner with Asaki. He was concerned about how I was handling your death, so he wanted to bring me somewhere comforting. We're dining as nothing more than friends, and your _father_ and _ancestors_ think that I'm cheating on you with Asaki." She felt Rayu's body tense up, and she could tell that he wasn't happy. She just wasn't sure if he wasn't happy with her, or his ancestors, or both.

She glanced at Rayu, and noticed that his jaw was clenched. He spoke softly, but everyone knew that he was angry. "Dad…is what she says true?" He asked.

Kenshin nodded, a look of shame on his face. The older Rayu was the only one who didn't look sorry. Sarah suspected that he had informed the others that they were jumping to conclusions, and they had ignored him. Rayu sighed and looked at Sarah. "I trust you, and while I don't know Asaki very well, I trust his motives. I'm not even slightly concerned." He said.

He turned to his father and his ancestors and said. "I thank you for trying to protect me from a possible heartbreak, but I trust her. You should too. She's going to be my future wife, and dad, you should know that she wouldn't cheat on me."

Kenshin held his tongue, and Rayu said, "Dad…I would appreciate it if you could instruct Sarah and I how to bring other people's subconscious with us when we visit the seal."

Kenshin nodded, and walked up to the two young people. He said, "First off, I'm sorry for doubting you, Sarah. And Rayu, I am sorry as well. I overreacted and I was being too overprotective of you. So, I apologize."

Rayu smiled, let go of Sarah, and hugged his father. "I forgive you, dad. Thank you."

Sarah waited for Rayu to be done hugging Kenshin, and then when he was done, she wrapped Kenshin up in a big hug. He was surprised at this, and she said, "Mr. Kenshin, I'll forgive you if you forgive me." She said.

He smiled down at her, and he nodded. "Well then, let's teach you how to bring people in with you." He said cheerily.

It took only a few moments, and when he was done, Sarah smiled. "Thank you very much, Mr. Kenshin."

He nodded, and then walked back to the other ancestors. Sarah looked at Rayu, and asked, "Would you mind if I brought Asaki here?"

Rayu shook his head. "I wouldn't mind at all. Just do me a favor."

She asked, "What do you need me to do?"

Rayu's voice took on a serious tone. "Tomorrow, can you bring Masashi in here?"

Sarah nodded readily. "Absolutely."

He smiled and said, "I'll see you in a few moments then."

She nodded, and per Kenshin's instructions, visualized herself back at the restaurant. She opened her eyes once more, and found herself back in the restaurant. She remembered Kenshin's words that 'no time in the physical world would pass while you are in the seal', and she said, "Okay. I am going to bring your subconscious with me, into the seal. You need to close your eyes, and clear your thoughts. Keep your mind blank, not thinking of everything. You'll feel a moment of disorientation, but then you'll be fine."

Asaki smiled. "That was quick. It took you a second or so to find that out? You're fast."

Sarah shook her head. "No time passes here in the physical world when we are in the seal. I was in there for a while. Also, anything that happens to you 'physically' in the seal, doesn't carry over back here. For instance, back in the seal, I took off my shoes, but here, my shoes are back on."

Asaki's eyebrows rose up, and he gave a thoughtful smile. "Hm. Interesting. Well, I'm ready." He said. He closed his eyes and sat completely still. Sarah cleared her own mind as she placed her first fingers of both hands onto Asaki's temples, and then focused on the image of the clearing. She heard a sound, actually, it was more of a feeling than a sound, similar to a humming. Then, in a flash of white, she knew she was in the meadow.

With a weary yet contented sigh, Sarah opened the door to her house. She saw her parents sleeping on the couch, seemingly spending quality time together. It was 10:30 at night, but if felt much later. She, Asaki, and everyone in the seal had spent a long time talking and hanging out.

Rayu and Asaki had gotten along great, and the rest of Rayu's ancestors seemed to like Asaki as well. After their little 'hang out' in the seal, Sarah and Asaki had eaten their food, talking excitedly about the experience.

Even on their way to drop Sarah off at her house Asaki was still exclaiming how amazing Rayu was and how amazing his ancestors were. They had talked about everything Asaki could think of from battle tactics, to what they thought on the lessons of life. Overall, it was a superb night.

While Asaki, Rayu, and several of the ancestors had been busy talking, the Elder Rayu walked over to her and took her aside. He made sure no one was listening, and he made her promise never to reveal what he was going to talk about, not unless he first gave permission.

(Flashback)

"_I promise." She whispered, and Rayu nodded. He ran his hand through his spiky blond hair, and then smiled._

"_Okay. Good. Now, Rayu wanted me to tell you because he knew he wouldn't be able to tell you without his father or someone else knowing. He told me, and quite frankly, it's a little disconcerting. You see, once he comes back to life, he won't be able to receive his seal from you again. It's a one-time thing. If the technique is used more than once, which Rayu has already used it once, it could cause insanity and confusion about which person you really are._

"_So, his body will still have the enhanced Chakra capability, but he won't be able to slow time, see a few seconds into the future, or have the enhanced protection. He's important, you already know how important he is, and he is going to need all the functions of the seal. He knew that the technique he used could only be used once, but he didn't know right then that he would come back to life. So, Sarah, this leaves us in a predicament." Rayu said. He took his time, making sure she understood everything._

_Sarah nodded and she sighed. This was not good. "Couldn't I reseal him? You know, study on how to perform the seals on him and then just give him the same seals?" She asked, hopeful._

_Rayu shook his head. "No. You see, when Ryu was first sealed with the seal, it was done one seal at a time. There were four sealers in our village. One placed the Chakra enhancer, one placed the precognition, one placed the Future seeing, and the last one was almost dead anyway, so they placed the protection seal. The protection seal costs the person their life, and Ryu knew this. He had decided that he didn't want the seal because he didn't want anyone to die just for him. However, the sealer knew he would need it, and she knocked him out. She then gave him the seal, and when he woke up, she was dead. So, you might be able to give him the other portions of the seal, but not the protection and generational portion that he needs the most." He told her this, still whispering._

_Sarah nodded, and asked, "Well, then is there anything else that we could do to get his seal transferred back onto his body?"_

_Rayu nodded, smiling. "You see, I had a special ability of mind control Jutsu. Not many Hikage's had it, and those that did were considered the most powerful. However, anyway, I can place a seal in both of your minds, connecting both of you to me. I could create a kind of seal inside of your minds, making you function only on the barest minimal levels necessary for survival and to do the task. Then, I would control the transfer of the Seal onto his body, and hopefully my seal will prevent any insanity, because nothing more than your body functions will be operational."_

_Sarah smiled, ecstatic. It sounded like it could work, and she knew that Rayu would need his seal more than she would. She didn't even really need the Seal at all. "Great! Once I bring Rayu back, we can do that, and then you can remove the protection seal from us, right?"_

_Rayu nodded. "Exactly. Then, you guys can carry on in life. But, I need to run this by Rayu and see what he thinks. It is, after all, his decision if he even wants the seal."_

_Sarah nodded, and Rayu walked over to the crowd. She saw him whisper into Rayu's ear, and after a while, Rayu nodded. He then looked over to her, a look on his face that seemed to ask, 'Are you sure?'_

_She nodded, absolutely sure. He smiled, and then whispered back into his elder's ear. The elder Rayu nodded and smiled. He gave Sarah and Rayu a thumbs-up, and then walked cautiously over to Sarah again._

"_Sarah. Once Rayu has his seal back, you won't be protected or be able to have the benefits besides the double amount of Chakra. So, in compensation for that, I've decided that once this seal is back on Rayu's neck, I'll teach you a few Jutsu that only I and my son know. They are only three Jutsu, but two of them are Summoning Jutsu. It'll be a bit tough to learn, but they are worth it. Would you like for me to teach you?" He asked, keeping his face straight and professional._

_Sarah nodded, trying to look equally serious and professional. "Yes, I would like that very much, sir."_

_Rayu nodded, and then cracked up. "I can never stay serious too long. I have to smile. Don't know what it is, but it's fun!" He said, and walked away, a big smile on his face._

_Sarah chuckled, and then walked back over to the conversation. She couldn't help but wonder, what Jutsu would he teach her?_

(End Flashback)

Sarah smiled again, and wearily shut the door behind her. The sound woke up her light-sleeper of a father, and he groggily asked, "Sarah?"

Sarah smiled and whispered, "Yes, it's me daddy. I'm just going to go to bed."

He rubbed his eyes, glanced at his watch, confusion clouding his face. "But it's only ten thirty. You usually stay up until eleven anyways. What's wrong?" He asked, whispering.

She shook her head, still smiling. "Nothing's wrong, daddy. I'm going to practice the technique that Rayu taught me for thirty minutes before I go to bed."

He nodded, understanding. "Okay. How was your night with Asaki?" He asked.

She smiled. "Not bad. He got to meet Rayu and his ancestors."

Her father looked confused, but let it drop. He probably wouldn't understand anyway. He nodded, and whispered, "Good night, then."

She nodded and walked to her room. She flicked on the light and kicked off her high heels, sighing contentedly. They looked nice and were comfortable for the most part, but she just preferred her ninja sandal boots. She dropped her plastic bag that held her clothes and shoes, which she and Asaki had both left in the rickshaw on accident and found them still there when they left, and wearily walked forward to her white dresser.

She quickly pulled out a pink silk nightgown, and then went to the bathroom before she forgot to wash off her makeup. She changed while she was there, and when she was done, walked back to her bedroom.

She smiled, and sat down on her bed, thinking back to when Rayu was teaching her. She went through the instructions slowly, making sure she remembered them all. She then went through the first four out of ten parts, over and over and over again, making sure that she memorized them. She wanted to be able to perform the technique flawlessly, so that there was no way she would make a mistake and risk losing Rayu forever.

Her determination was what kept her awake until eleven o'clock, and that was all. As soon as her alarm clock read 11:00, she stopped. She got up, turned off the lights, and walked back to bed. There was a full moon tonight, and the soft white light filled her room as it came through her window. She smiled as she got into her comfortable bed, and within moments of her head touching the pillow, she slept a dreamless sleep.

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Well, that's all for Chapter 15. Chapter 16 is up next, obviously. Tell me what you thought of the story so far! Thanks!


	16. Chapter 16: Day 2

Hey guys! This and the next chapter's titles are rather simple and plain, and frankly, I wish I could come up with something better, but this suits my purpose. It is just a chronological marking, but please put up with the plainness.

In this chapter, Sarah fulfills Rayu's favor, which leads to some very interesting conversation.

Oh, and THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU HyugaHotness. Finally some reviews. Reviews help fire me up for more writing, so thank you. I am actually writing Chapter 21, but it's hard. It's really difficult to keep writing. It's 14 pages long, and I'm starting to get burned out. But, you inspired me to keep writing. Thanks!

Chapter 16: Day 2

Sarah woke up on the second of Rayu's death without crying or feeling depressed, because she knew that she would be able to see him again today. She was smiling as she got dressed, deciding what she would want to dress up in for training with Asaki and his squad.

She had decided that she would try on a new combination of clothing that would make her look tough, and make the boys on Asaki's squad think she wasn't too weak. She sorted through all of her clothes, and eventually found what she was looking for.

She slipped on her undergarments, and then slipped on a light, form fitting mesh armor shirt that was very similar to her instructor's. It revealed a bit of mid-riff, but nothing too much. She then slipped on black shorts that were slightly baggy and reached down to her knees. She then wrapped her bandage around her right thigh, strapped it down, and then attached her Shuriken and kunai holster to her thigh. She cinched the shorts tight around her waist so that they wouldn't fall off in the middle of training, and then pulled her long red hair back into a ponytail. She gelled her hair so that she had two large bangs sticking off the front, and then she slipped on her ninja sandal boots.

She smiled, and then walked out of her room. She went to the bathroom and finished getting groomed for the day, and then went to the kitchen where she found her mother and father talking softly. They were at the table, sitting in front of their emptied plates. Sarah's plate was sitting in an open spot, and she sat down.

They stopped when they saw her, and smiled. Tom cleared his throat and asked, "So, where are you off to?"

Sarah slapped herself on her forehead, and groaned. She had forgotten to tell them about her training today. "Umm…Hokage Tsunade assigned me to a squad to train with while my squad is gone." She said, omitting the fact that it was Asaki's squad. Her father liked Asaki, but she knew he wouldn't approve of all the time she's spent with him.

He nodded and said, "Well, you certainly seem to want to make an impression. You look rather intimidating." He chuckled, and Sarah smiled as she quickly at some of her food.

She swallowed, and then said, "I get to scare some boys today." She smiled, and ate some more, realizing that she had to hurry if she wanted to be able to make it to the training field on time.

She ate quickly, and mumbled through a mouthful of food, "I'm gonna be late. I'll catch you later! I should be done by at least 4 o'clock!"

Her parents waved goodbye, and Sarah half-ran out the door. It was already 9:45, and it would take her a little while to locate training field 3. She didn't bother with the elevator, and instead, slid down the banister similar to what she did two days ago. She swallowed her food on the way down, and quickly exited the building.

She then scaled a building across the street, and when she made it to the flat rooftop, she paused. She quickly figured out which direction to go, and then ran off in that direction, jumping across rooftops. She guessed that training field 3 was within 100 to 200 yards away from training field four, seeing as that was standard regulations when it came to placing training fields.

The morning sun was up, and she smiled as she was being warmed by its rays. She was making an itinerary for the day, scheduling her training, her lunch, everything. Ten minutes later, she made it to the training ground three, and she was surprised by what she saw. Three very thick wooden posts were in the middle of a clearing, there was a memorial, a small clear pond, and everything looked calm and peaceful.

She was surprised when she heard a yell, and out of the woods surrounding the clearing, further ahead, three boys rushed out. They were flying through the air, and Sarah recognized Asaki. He was swinging a kunai knife and ducking kicks and punches from the other boys. It looked like a free for all, and Sarah was concerned at first that something was wrong, and then she saw the instructor sitting idly by the three wooden posts.

He wore a tan leather trench coat, black pants, black shirt, and his headband as a bandanna over his brown hair. He had tanned skin, and he watched half-interested at the fight as it unfolded. He was twirling a four-point throwing star on his first finger of his right hand, and as Sarah walked closer, he looked up.

He smiled kindly as he saw her, and yelled, "Boys! Enough!"

As soon as he started to speak, the boys stopped, landing softly on the grass. Asaki was breathing heavily and sweating because his black shirt and shorts were absorbing the sun's heat. The instructor stood, and said, "So, Sarah! I have heard a lot about you. I am Jonin Kyle Razashima, you know Asaki, and then there is my son Sky Razashima and Chunin Fuusha Krishinia." He motioned to the other two boys, who bowed.

Sky Razashima had a brown afro, white skin, and round black sunglasses. He wore a red tank top, blue jean shorts, and the traditional kunai holster and ninja sandal boots. His friend and squad mate Fuusha Krishinia wore a white jacket that had a high collar that hid half his face; he had pale blue eyes, and had buzzed blond hair. He wore brown Capri pants, and he wore black ninja sandal boots. He wore his ninja headband tied around his waist instead of his forehead.

Sarah bowed back politely, and gave a small smile. Asaki took a step forward and raised a slim black eyebrow. "You look ready to fight. Nice shirt." He said, and Sarah tried not to blush. Her mesh armor shirt was lightweight similar to cloth, and it was like a tee shirt, but it was very flattering to her form.

Kyle Razashima took one step forward, and then asked, "Well, Sarah. I assume you're ready for some fun?"

Sarah nodded, and was surprised when Asaki and his friends grinned, and brought up their kunai in attack position. Sarah reached down, drew her own kunai, and assumed a ready stance. Kyle said, "Well, we've heard from Asaki how great of a fighter you are, so we're going to pit you up against one boy at first. Once you last long enough against one opponent, another will jump in. If you last long enough against two boys, the third will jump in."

Sarah nodded, and set her mouth in a small, determined line. Asaki smiled, and said, "I'll go first."

Kyle nodded, and without warning, yelled, "GO!"

Asaki jumped forward, and Sarah was surprised to see two of him. One was moving at regular speed, and the other was a faint ghost-like outline that showed what he would be doing in a mere second or so.

She brought up her kunai, blocked a blow from Asaki, and then kicked at his exposed gut. He blocked the blow, and then Sarah slipped quickly into her Drunken Fist Taijutsu style.

She stumbled backwards, seemingly trying to regroup, and Asaki jumped at her. She then half crouched, and then jumped up once Asaki was just about to reach her. She performed an uppercut, smashing her fist into his jaw, and he went flying back.

She then stumbled forwards as Asaki flipped backwards in the air and landed on his feet. She focused on seeming to be off balance and to make it seem as if she couldn't coordinate her blow.

She performed a fake out, lashing out with her left hand clumsily, but stopping it before it even reached Asaki. She then lashed out with her right hand, and Asaki tried to pull his head backwards out of the way, but Sarah grazed his nose.

He tried to take the offensive, attacking her with a flurry of kicks and jabs, but Sarah quickly regained her momentum. She staggered away from a blow, and then kicked out with her right foot and then punched with her left. It looked uncoordinated and clumsy, but it was planned.

Asaki stumbled back away from the punch, but didn't see the kick. Sarah's foot met with Asaki's stomach, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps. She put her hands by her side, smiled, and waited for him to make the next move.

Asaki straightened, shook his head in disbelief, and said, "Well, I guess I underestimated you."

Sarah only smiled, and waited for him to make his move. Asaki took a step forward tentatively, and waited for a reaction. Then, he sprang forward, making a flurry of hand signs. Sarah initiated her clone genjutsu, and then scattered while running backwards. So now, there were four of her, all twenty feet apart and twenty yards away from Asaki.

He had stopped making his hand sings, and he yelled, "Suiton: Water Wave!"

Out of nowhere, a giant pillar of water appeared between Asaki and the four Sarah's. Asaki staggered, having used a massive amount of Chakra, but he managed to control the pillar. The pillar thrashed around, like a giant hand, and attacked all of the Sarah's. It swung around, like someone swinging a bat, and crashed into Sarah. It knocked the breath out of her, and then the pillar collapsed.

Sarah went flying backwards, soaked, and crashed to the ground. She tumbled head over heels when she impacted with the ground, and after four rolls, she stopped, lying on her back. Asaki staggered forward, but fell to his knees. He shouldn't have used such a powerful move first off.

Kyle Razashima made a motion with his hand and yelled, "Sky, go!"

Sky leapt forward, smiling, and running towards the dazed Sarah. Sarah managed to sit up, and was surprised to see Sky running at her, kunai in hand. She quickly made a few hand signs, purely on instinct, and she recognized the jutsu.

She yelled it as she brought up her hand to her mouth. Her hand was curled into a claw, with her first finger bent into a half-circle. "Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

She breathed short rapid breaths through the hooked first finger, and eight fireballs soared away from her towards the advancing Sky. Sky managed to dodge five of the oncoming fireballs, but the remaining three smacked into his chest.

He went flying backwards, holes burned into his shirt. He fell to the ground, right next to Asaki, and coughed. Sarah managed to stand, and then she made another few hand signs. "Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" She yelled, and clenched her fist in front of her mouth. This time, her first two fingers were extended straight up, and she blew at the tips of her fingers.

A giant fireball, twice as big as a man, erupted from her fingertips, flying towards the two boys. It left a path of burnt grass and an indented path like some kind of giant bolder had rolled across the ground. Sarah knew that she would force Jonin Razashima to send out the third and final boy to protect the other two dazed boys.

Fuusha jumped forward, after Kyle gave him the signal, and stood in front of his two dazed comrades. He went through a flurry of hand signs, and she could have sworn she could see him smile even though his mouth was hidden behind his collar.

He yelled, "Suiton: Water Barrier Wall!"

He yanked down his collar, and a massive amount of water squirted from his mouth. He spun, creating a wall of water around them, and the giant fireball exploded once it touched the water wall.

Once the smoke and fog cleared from the scene, she saw Fuusha standing calmly, hands by his sides, in front of his comrades. Just the look of his brows drawn together in a frown and his body language told her that there was no way in _hell_ that he would let her hurt his comrades. She smiled gently, and then decided once more to test his resolve.

She shot into the air, propelling herself with her Chakra, peaking her jump at 30 feet in the air. She then performed hand signs that she had just performed earlier and yelled, "Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

She brought up her curled fist, and breathed out rapid spurts of air. She ended up sending twenty fireballs raining down on Fuusha and his comrades, and he squinted his pale blue eyes as he quickly calculated what he could do.

She was surprised when he ran out of time to think, and all twenty Fireballs came within striking range. He pulled a surprise move, and initiated a jutsu that surprised her. It was the substitution jutsu, but he did it so fast, that it seemed as if he was teleporting around.

He would substitute himself for logs, and they would appear standing up vertically. He did it so fast that within two seconds there was an entire fence-like structure that protected both Sky and Asaki. The fireballs erupted on the fence, but did not cause the fence to fall. As Sarah gently landed, she brought out four throwing stars, and prepared to continue her attack.

She heard a faint whisper of a sound, and her eyes opened wide. She heard Fuusha's voice for the first time, coming from behind her. His voice was raspy and it sounded almost evil. "Boo." He said.

She felt two ice-cold hands clamp onto her bare arms, and he whispered, "My fence just wasn't for protection of my comrades, but to prevent you from seeing my next jutsu: Shadow clones. I can only produce one or two at a time, because I'm just learning the technique, but I've done it good enough to win obviously."

Sarah shook her head. "Nope. You don't win."

Even though she couldn't see his face, she imagined it was scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean? I've clearly got you in a position where you can't attack."

Sarah shook her head and said, "Sorry, but this is going to hurt." With that, she kicked backwards with her right foot, bringing her foot up with enough force to cripple a man. Her foot slammed right between his legs, and immediately, he let go of her and crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.

She turned around and looked down at the cross-eyed boy. "Sorry, but you can't win that way." Then, to her surprise, the boy disappeared in a puff of smoke. She quickly whipped around, remembering that he had said it was a shadow clone.

As soon as she turned around, she saw two Fuusha's jumping at her, one kunai in each of their hands. She reacted purely on instinct, and was surprised as she jumped to meet them head on. They stabbed at her with their kunai, but she grabbed their arms and performed a splits-kick in the air. Her heels crashed into both of their heads, detonating one Shadow Clone, and then sending the real Fuusha to the ground.

She landed, right next to the dazed boy, and she waited for Kyle to call her win. She looked at him, and he shook his head, indicating the match was still on. She made a puzzled face, and understood when the fence of wooden logs burst apart. There was an explosion of wind, and the logs all flew at her. Sarah grabbed the dazed and half-unconscious Fuusha, slung him over her shoulder, and jumped high into the air.

The logs all flew under her, missing her by a few feet. She looked down and noticed that Asaki was standing once more, and so was Sky. She gently landed once more, and laid Fuusha gently onto the ground. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes, and then sighed. These people would not stay down.

The two boys sprang forward, Asaki a bit more behind Sky due to his fatigue, and Sarah resumed her Drunken Fist fighting style. She knew that a two on one, she could survive, if they didn't tag team her with Jutsu. Sky threw a flurry of punches as soon as he was in hitting range, and he hit Sarah hard enough to knock out a horse. Fortunately, she rolled with the punch so that it hardly even hit her hard enough to be considered a tap.

She fell backwards onto the ground, and Asaki attempted to perform a flying punch. She rolled out of the way, causing his fist to impact with the hard ground. He growled in pain, and Sarah rose to her feet, only to have to dodge a flying kick from Sky. That was followed up by a charge from Asaki, which she sidestepped, and then another flying kick from Sky.

She grabbed his foot within two inches from her face, and then threw Sky into Asaki. They both fell onto the ground, and Sarah had to think of something to do before she was overwhelmed. She had an idea, and formed a Rasengan. The boys got up, groaning, and then she rushed forward.

Their eyes got wider than saucers as they saw her run at them, and before she reached them, she slammed the orb of air into the ground in front of her while she was running. This threw her towards them, flipping through the air, and she managed to grab both boys in headlocks and carry them down with her to the ground.

They coughed and sputtered as they tried to break free, but she wouldn't let go. She squeezed tighter, until they managed to choke out, "We yield, we yield!"

She let go, exhausted, and their faces turned from a beet red to their normal complexions. Asaki groaned as he stood, rubbing his neck and throat gingerly. "Geez, it was just training. No need to kill us." Sky said, also rubbing his neck as he stood.

Kyle Razashima was helping Fuusha up, and Sarah stood wearily. Just that fight had used up about one fourth of her Chakra. She would need to work on the growth of her Chakra.

Kyle, supporting a still half-dazed Fuusha, came over to the three Chunin and spoke. "Not bad. Not bad at all. That was a creative way to get them to yield, but in a real life or death match it wouldn't have worked, Sarah."

Sarah nodded. "I know. If I had meant to kill them, I would have hit them with the Rasengan instead of hitting the ground." She said this gently, acting as if it wouldn't have been a big deal. It would have been, because they would have most likely dodged.

Kyle nodded, and continued. "Asaki. You should never have used the Water Pillar Jutsu. You didn't pack enough punch to win, and it severely drained your Chakra. That was reckless. You could have used your Shadow Clones, or you could have used a number of other Jutsu. Why'd you use the Water Pillar?"

Asaki sighed. He had known that this would happen. "I used it because it was the first thing that came to mind." He said wearily. His instructor was right though. He should never have used it without more Chakra growth and more power.

Kyle shook his head. "Well, next time think about your options." He turned his head towards Sky, his son.

"Sky. You could have used a substitution Jutsu as soon as the Fireballs were launched. You would have had the element of surprise, or you could have used an Earth Hiding technique. It was so simple." He said, shaking his head. Sky lowered his head a little, showing that he understood.

Fuusha muttered out, "I could have used Water Missiles from a distance instead of rushing her with my clone. We could have stayed a safe distance away and forced her to try to combat us back while we gave Sky and Asaki time to recover."

Kyle nodded slightly. "Yes, you could have. I'm very proud of all of you for lasting as long as you did. Now that the fight portion of today is over, we'll work on exercises to grow your Chakra, and we'll focus on battle scenarios."

The four Chunin nodded, and Kyle led them all towards the wooden stumps. "Now, growing your Chakra is just like growing and building muscles. To do that, you have to use your muscles constantly. Constant use of your Chakra through endurance exercises will cause it to grow slowly but strongly. A massive output, as Asaki's Water Pillar is an _overuse_ and is like overstraining your muscles. Instead of growing, the muscle becomes ripped or damaged and has to heal. Asaki's Chakra is still present, but he can hardly use it without risking his health. So, Asaki, you get to sit out for today. Tomorrow, when your Chakra is replenished, I want you to do these exercises that I'm going to show to your squad mates." Asaki nodded and walked a little ways away, to show that he wasn't participating. Sarah could tell he was bummed out, but she was interested in seeing the exercises that would increase her strength. This training would be interesting.

Sarah was exhausted. Kyle Razashima was strict in his training, and it had lasted four and a half hours. It was two thirty in the afternoon, and she was surprised she still had Chakra left. He had been creative in the exercises that helped to grow their Chakra, but it was still tough.

Asaki and she were walking down the streets of Konoha, headed towards the Frinizaki house. Their house was nothing too impressive, just a two story white house with a pretty porch and a peaceful air about it. Asaki was tagging along quietly, but only until they passed his house. There was not anything he could help her with, but he wanted to show some kind of support anyway.

Sarah appreciated it, but was lost in thought about the up and coming meeting. She was so deep in though that she hadn't heard Asaki break away from her and head down a street where his house/mansion was. By the time she noticed, she was standing in front of the Frinizaki's house.

This street was so quiet that she could hear people bustling around inside Masashi's house. She reluctantly stepped up onto the porch steps._ One, two, three, four._ She counted while stepping onto the steps, and found herself facing a screen door in front of a solid white door. She raised a fist, and then slowly and deliberately she knocked.

_Once, twice, three times._ She counted in her head.

The solid door opened, revealing Masashi. His face showed no reaction, as if he had expected her. She suspected that he had been expecting her. He opened the screen door as well, and motioned for Sarah to come inside. He was wearing his black tee shirt and tan pants. He wore no bandana headband or gloves, but he wore his shuriken holsters on his right thigh. Sarah stepped into the house, and Masashi shut the door behind her.

It took a while for her eyes to adjust from the bright afternoon light outside to the more sparsely lit house. There was velvet couch in front of a TV, which seated Cherie and Ryubi Frinizaki. Cherie stood, and smiled. "Why, Sarah! How nice of you to drop by!" She walked over to Sarah, her shoulder length blond hair still gleaming even in the dim lighting. She had gentle blue eyes, and a calm face the exuded joy at all times. She wore a tee shirt and sweatpants, and Sarah felt so weird being dressed the way she was. Cherie shook Sarah's hand gently but fervently.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, Sarah?" She asked, no doubt curious as to why she would come here dressed as she was.

"I've come to speak with Masashi privately. I have something that he really needs to know." She said, and Cherie nodded.

Masashi spoke up, keeping monotonous. "If it's alright, we can speak upstairs in my room."

His mother nodded, obviously trusting him. Masashi made a motion for Sarah to follow him, and then walked to her right. She followed him into a separate room that was the dining room, and then around a corner to the left was a stairway. She followed him up twenty or so stairs, and then turned left. There were three doors to her right, one straight ahead, and then at the end of the banister and to the left was yet another.

Masashi walked to the end of the hall and turned right, to the last doorway. He opened the door, and Sarah followed him into a plain room. It had white walls, blue green carpet, two beds, a desk between the two beds, and a drawer directly to her left when she walked in. On the desk were numerous articles, one of which was a photo of Masashi and she assumed his older brother Zennith.

Zennith was an intimidating young man, even in the photo. He had 6-inch tall spiked black hair, a leaf headband across his forehead, thick black eyebrows, foreboding brown eyes, and one horizontal scar under each eye. Sarah started at that. They were similar to Rayu's. The lower half of Zennith's face was hidden behind a five and a half inch black-lined collar of his white vest. It looked like a Jonin Vest, but it was white and it was without the shoulder pads. On his left breast were three scroll holders; on the right breast was a pocket. The bottom of the vest was black lined just like the collar. He wore fingerless black gloves like Rayu, and he wore black shorts like Rayu. His pale skin made him seem strange, and the muscle on his body wasn't overly defined, but just right. In the photo, he and his little brother were at a party. In the background was a banner that said, "HAPPY GRADUATION, CHUNIN!" Even though Zennith's face was half-hidden, she could tell he was proud to have his little brother by his side.

Sarah quickly averted her eyes from the photo, and Masashi indicated for her to sit on the bed on the wall to her right. He sat across from her, on the bed that was on the left wall. Sarah gingerly sat on the white bed. It was plain, smooth, and comfortable, but Sarah knew whose bed she was sitting on. She gently ran her hand across the bed, and she asked softly, "This was Zennith's?"

Masashi nodded. "Yes. It was his."

She sat on the edge, as if she was afraid to disturb the dead, even though Zennith's body lie in a grave lost in the wilderness outside Konoha. They sat in silence, each lost in thoughts and memories. Finally, Masashi pulled out of his reverie and asked, "What did you need to tell me?" His voice was a whisper, as if he was afraid to speak any louder.

Sarah talked softly, not quite a whisper though. "Last night, I talked to Rayu. He wanted to talk to you."

Masashi's eyes were wide. "What? Did he appear in a vision? As a ghost?"

Sarah shook her head and pointed at the seal on her neck. Masashi flinched as he saw it, reminded who originally bore the mark and why it wasn't on them right now. Sarah said, "Rayu's stored in this seal. I can send both of our subconsciouses to a gathering of all the previous holders of this seal. Their souls are gathered and sealed here. Rayu wanted me to bring you into the seal to talk to him."

Masashi turned pale. "I'm not sure. I…I'm not sure if I'm ready to face the ghosts of my past."

Sarah felt pity for the thirteen-year-old boy. "Rayu found that the only way to make the ghosts go away was to confront them." She whispered, remembering what he said to her the one day that they had confronted all of Rayu's deceased teammate's families.

Masashi nodded, drawing strength from the advice. He half-chuckled nervously, "Rayu was always the smart one."

Sarah smiled. "Just relax. I need you to clear your mind and think of absolutely nothing. You will feel some disorientation, but that's normal." She said. She stood, and watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She extended her hands and touched his temples. She then cleared her mind, and concentrated on nothing but the clearing. She could feel and hear the humming sound again, and with a flash of white, it was over.

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Well, that's the end of Chapter 16! Chapter 17 is going to be good, I think! Can't wait to write it!


	17. Chapter 17: Day 2Promises

Chapter 17: Day 2, Promises

Sarah opened her eyes, and felt a hand in her left hand, gripping tightly. She looked to her left and saw Masashi, eyes pressed shut. He was wearing his headband bandanna, his strange gloves, and even his ninja Sandal Boots. She was surprised, seeing as he had not been wearing that in the real world. How could he be wearing that?

Then, a thought struck her. Mental Image. They each appeared how they wanted to appear or thought they looked like. Masashi looked like Masashi, but slightly weaker and smaller. Sarah spoke first, allowing the sound of birds to speak first. "Masashi, we're here."

He opened his brown eyes, and she saw wonder and amazement. He looked around wildly, amazed. Sarah looked only forward, brow knit together in concentration as she tried to make out what was happening at the pond far ahead of her. She tugged on Masashi's hand as she stepped forward, and he followed her as a child might follow his mother.

The Ancestors were standing in a circle and she could see Rayu, sitting with his legs crossed, in the middle of the circle. Sarah could tell Masashi noticed, because he shook in either fear, awe, amazement, or all of the above. They stopped five feet away from the circle, and listened.

All of the Ancestors were muttering a Mantra, a strange string of words that made no sense. The words were completely foreign sounding. The two young people gazed in amazement as Kenshin took a step into the circle, first finger extended from his fist that was glowing with golden energy. Kenshin had his eyes closed, but extended his finger and put it in the center of Rayu's forehead even though the Ninja Headband was there. The golden glow faded, and then Rayu took in a sharp breath. She just realized that he had not breathed at all while they had been watching.

His eyes flew open, and he stood. It was sudden, yet graceful and frightening. He whirled, facing them. His ice blue eyes pierced into both Sarah's and Masashi's souls and she knew something was different. He seemed a bit more whole than before. He blinked, and a smile crept over his features. The Ancestors stopped their muttering, and snapped out of their strange trance. They turned, and were surprised to see the two visitors. Rayu took a few steps forward, clearing the edge of the circle, and stopped once he was three or so feet from both Masashi and Sarah.

Masashi shook, and without looking, Sarah knew he was sickly pale. Rayu's smile lingered on Sarah's face, and she knew that he was saying thank you without saying it. The Ancestors were now lined up behind Rayu, not saying a word, but looking at Masashi.

Rayu turned his attention to his squad mate and friend. His smile wavered, and Sarah saw a shine in his eyes that indicated tears. Masashi trembled, let go of Sarah's hand, and collapsed to his knees. He was shaking in fright and shame, and he started to cry.

It started softly, but then picked up to an intense wail. He was still looking up at Rayu's face, as if he could not bear to tear away his gaze from his friend's face. Rayu knelt on the ground in front of his friend, and hugged him. Masashi's eyes were wide open, and Sarah could tell terror and joy were both alive in him. He was clutching onto Rayu tightly, as if he never wanted to be separated from him ever again.

Sarah looked at the ancestors and noticed tears streaming down Kenshin's face. The elder Rayu was smiling a gentle smile, happy at this reunion of friends. The others were trying to remain passive, but she could tell that they were happy and sad at the same time. Happy for the reunion, sad for the boy who had killed his best friend and now could hold his friend once more.

Sarah was surprised when Rayu spoke. His tone was full of shame and sorrow. "Masashi. I am so sorry. You were not mad…you were not insane. If I was the same person I am now, I could have saved you when I walked into that room."

Masashi replied fiercely. "No! It's not your fault. It's mine. My own fault. If I had been stronger I could have resisted the possession, I could have fought it! It's my own fault…due to only my weakness." Rayu had separated himself from Masashi so that they were both on their knees, eye to eye. Masashi still had a firm grip on Rayu's shoulders, though.

Rayu shook his head. "If my newfound memories, while incomplete, are true…then there was no way to stop a Possessor like that. Not even I would have been able to drive it away from me. You did a good job of fighting it, but it was a strong Demon. Even the Lesser Demons are strong."

Sarah backed away, knowing that what was coming next was personal and only for their ears. She walked over to the pond, walking past the ancestors, and she made sure she walked past elder Rayu. She tugged on his sleeve gently as she walked past him, indicating that she wanted to speak with him.

She waited by the pond, looking into its surprisingly cool blue surface. It seemed so calm, so peaceful, that she wanted to swim in its depths. Rayu's smiling face appeared next to her, wearing his white robes. His spiky blond hair seemed to accent his excited and joyful personality, and he asked, "What's up?"

She chuckled at this. "You may be 19 physically, but it's so weird knowing you're Rayu's grandfather." She said, and this drew a small chuckle from him.

"Yeah. It's weird seeing my son, Kenshin, all grown up. When I died, he was just a baby, no more than a year old. It's even weirder seeing my Grandson almost as old as I am. Gives me goose bumps." He said.

They stood in silence until Sarah worked up the courage to ask what she needed to ask. "Rayu...do you think that he and I are ready to marry?" She asked, her voice no more than a whisper. She could hear the ancestors talking softly amongst themselves, doing their best not to listen in on either conversation taking place on either side of them.

Rayu was puzzled. "Why do you ask me? Why don't you ask him…or even his father?" He asked.

Sarah looked at his reflection, not turning to meet his gaze. "I trust Mr. Kenshin, but…sometimes he can forget what it is like to be our age. He is still young, but he's old enough to be condescending of our age. I want to know what you think because you're closest to our age." She said, hoping he would understand. He did.

"Sarah…I was married at the age of 15. Of course, it was only after reviewing my decision with the council of the Elders, but they decided that what we had was true love and that we were ready. I was Hikage already, but I was ready. What I think about you and Rayu is that you both are in love. You are both financially stable, both able to stay loyal to each other, and both raised up with the right morals. All of those things indicate you are ready to marry. However, if Rayu doesn't feel like it, he won't make a move. If he feels he's not worthy or mature enough, he might not act on it. However, I feel like he knows that you both are mature enough and well enough on your way to it. So, to answer your question, I feel like you are ready." He said this slowly, gently, and calmly. She felt his sincerity, and she sat down in the grass.

He sat down next to her and whispered, "It's time for you to learn a Jutsu, Sarah Kasairoze. Your own name indicates what kind of elemental ninja you are. Your element is fire, and this Jutsu is a supreme defense. Do you wish to learn?"

Sarah nodded. Rayu smiled and said, "Now, because you are a Fire Element Ninja, fire Jutsu are easier for you to perform. While you should not focus merely on the fire Jutsu, your arsenal should mainly be composed of them. I was watching your training with Asaki and his friends, and that is when I noticed that you were a fire element Ninja. I noticed that you could have easily created a defense against that water pillar by using its opposite, Swirling Fire Pillar. I noticed also that Asaki is not a Water element Ninja. I noticed because the Jutsu, if he had been a Water Element Ninja, would have used less Chakra because he and the Jutsu would have been more in harmony. So, just pass that along to him please."

Sarah nodded; surprised at how easily Rayu could tell whom was what kind of element. "I will. He'll be glad to know." She said.

"Good. Now, I will teach you the basics of the Swirling Fire Pillar. It is similar both the Water Barrier Wall Jutsu, and the Water Pillar Jutsu. This Jutsu creates a pillar of Fire around you, which after using for defense, you can control its movements and cause it to attack. It's a little tricky, but you can get the hang of it easier because you are a Fire Elemental. Now, here's how it goes." He said, and he took the next five to ten minutes teaching her how to do it. When she finally got the hang of it, without actually doing it, Rayu congratulated her.

"Good Job! Now, I want you to perform it for real." He said.

Sarah was unsure. "Um, I can perform Jutsu in here?" She asked.

Rayu nodded. "Yep. Now, do everything as I instructed, but make sure I'm out of the way first."

They both stood, and Rayu backed off ten to twenty feet. She waited until he stopped moving, and then focused on her Chakra. She took a few deep breaths, and then carefully started to perform the hand signs. She took it slow, making sure she wouldn't mess up.

_Tiger, Ram, Rat, Boar, Ram, Horse, Monkey, Hare, Tiger!_ She thought, and her hands moved accordingly. Her Chakra immediately surged, and she put her left hand by her side, and her right hand in front of her mouth. She curled her right hand into a fist, and then extended only her first finger, so that it touched her bottom lip. She then blew, and saw fire come out. She then spun using Chakra to propel herself while focusing her Chakra on maintaining the attack, causing the Wall of Fire around herself to stay there. She completed two revolutions, and then stopped, and she heard Rayu yell from outside the fiery barrier, "Focus on making it higher, as if you had to block the Water Pillar!"

She obeyed, and with her Chakra, surged the fiery walls higher. The towering inferno now stood 15 feet in the air, and she was surprised that the intense heat didn't affect her. The ground beneath her was scorched and dead, and she could tell that in a five foot radius, the grass had briefly caught fire and died. She maintained the Fire Barrier for a few more moments, and then Rayu yelled, "Now, focus on making the pillar attack in a way similar to the Water Pillar!"

She nodded, and put her hands into the sign of the Tiger, for concentration. She closed her eyes and focused on the image of the Water Pillar, examining how it moved. She then opened her eyes, and she surged her Chakra once more. The pillar bent at the top, and it swung itself like a baseball bat. It made a horizontal sweep, then it swung down like a hammer towards the earth. She stopped it from smashing the ground and causing a fire, and then released the Jutsu. The fire dissipated, and she fell to her knees. It hadn't used up a lot of Chakra, but that much concentration and manipulation of the Chakra had left her a little shaken.

Her knees were in black ash, and she felt two pairs of hands help her up. She knew that one was the Elder Rayu, and she recognized the gloved but gentle touch of the younger Rayu. They both helped her up, and she brushed the black ash from her knees. "That was great!" exclaimed the older Rayu.

The younger Rayu smiled and nodded. "That was awesome, Sarah!" He said.

Sarah smiled and bowed to the older Rayu. "Thank you very much for teaching me the technique."

He bowed back, smiling broadly. "No problem. I figured I ought to try to be useful for something."

She turned back to the younger Rayu, and he was smiling still. He gently hugged her, and then while they were embracing, he whispered, "Sarah…the ritual is almost complete. By tomorrow…by tomorrow night I will remember everything." He then quoted something that both of their mothers used to say to them when they were little. "With a little bit of patience, great rewards are earned."

She pulled away, a smile on her lips. "I can't wait." She whispered back, and then they released their embrace. Suddenly, echoing around the clearing, they could hear Masashi tease them with a childish voice. "Rayu and Sarah, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage!"

They both turned towards Masashi, who was a safe distance away from them, and glared. He only laughed, a laugh that seemed that he hadn't let loose in a long time. Sarah could tell that in the ten minutes that she had been learning a Jutsu, Masashi had been made better. He looked stronger, happier, and more alive than before. Whatever had transpired between Rayu and him had cleared away all of Masashi's 'weakness' and sadness.

Sarah smiled, and impishly stuck her tongue out at Masashi. He continued to laugh, but stopped when Rayu disappeared from Sarah's side in a puff of smoke. Rayu appeared behind Masashi and instantly put him in a headlock, giving him a nuggie at the same time.

After a few moments of furious struggling and a lot of yelling, Rayu released Masashi and laughed. Masashi scowled and straightened his wrinkled bandanna. He then straightened his shirt and muttered, "Evil jerk."

Rayu laughed, and Sarah walked over to him and Masashi. Rayu smiled at her, and said, "Thank you so much for bringing him, Sarah."

She smiled back. "No problem. Anything, anytime, I'll do it." She said, meaning it.

His smile disappeared and stepped close to her. He stopped once he was a few inches from her, and he whispered, "Sarah…I trust your ability to bring me back."

She swallowed, and then she whispered back, "I know."

He smiled softly once more, and said, "Before you go back I want you to know something…" He trailed off, and Sarah prodded gently. "What? What do you want me to know?"

He looked straight into her eyes, and said solemnly, "When I get back, I plan on marrying you. Life is too short and too unpredictable to waste. When we get back, I _will _marry you."

She felt her heart rate pick up, and she smiled softly. She felt herself blush, and she felt like she was going to cry. She was going to get married! She gave a short laugh of joy as she wiped away tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes. They hugged, and she heard him laugh.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said, as she stepped backwards. He spoke in normal volume, indicating that he had nothing more to say that was private.

"Tomorrow? But won't the memory unlocking technique be going on all of tomorrow?" She asked.

Rayu shook his head. "No. Tomorrow, it will be finished. Tomorrow will be the only day left to perform the technique. On the day after tomorrow, my soul will be permanently sealed in here."

Sarah clenched her jaw determinedly. She would not fail him. "Okay. I will see you tomorrow. I'll come into the seal before I activate the technique and tell you."

He nodded, and then Sarah walked over to Masashi. "Ready?" She asked.

Masashi nodded and addressed Rayu. "Thank you, Rayu. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rayu waved goodbye, and Sarah put her first two fingers on Masashi's temples. She imagined Masashi's room, and she felt the humming vibration once more. She wished that they could have spent more time, but that would have interfered with Rayu's memories being returned.

She opened her eyes and found that they were once more in Masashi's room. She stepped back from Masashi and took her hands away from his head. He opened his eyes, and he smiled. She smiled back at him, and felt like she had to ask something that was weighing on her mind.

"Masashi, I don't want to bring up a depressing and painful subject but I have to ask. Do you have any pictures of the rest of your squad? Could you tell me about them? What they were like, and so on?" She asked softly, and she sat down on Zennith's bed.

Masashi stiffened a little bit, but then it seemed as if he cast off his depression and sadness. He seemed more confident, and happy. "Absolutely, Sarah. Let me get the photos." He stood, and quickly left the room, his bare feet making no noise on the carpet.

She waited for a few moments until he returned, a photo album in his hands. She noticed that he held it tightly, and she realized that this was the only thing left that reminded him of his team. He sat next to her, causing the bed to creak a little.

He opened the book, and she saw a 6x8 photo of the entire team. He spoke softly, and she strained to hear. "This was us, right after we all passed the Genin Certification Exam. We were a unique case. There are _never_ five man squads. Three man squads are the most and least amount of squads. We were the first five man squad in Konoha history, and we were able to complete missions that no other three man squad could."

She examined the photo, and smiled. All five Genin were striking poses, on their knees, with their Jonin leader standing up behind them. "Who is who?" She asked.

Masashi pointed to the Jonin Leader. "I'll start off with the most obvious. This is Tannith Sukara. He was our leader, and he was an ex-mist ninja. He is the inheritor of the White Secret Bloodline, which allows him to manipulate water and ice into any kind of shape he wants. He was exiled from the Mist because they were afraid of him."

She examined the man, taking his details into her mind. He had a warm, fatherly face that was smiling softly. He had blue eyes, and she got the impression that he was only in his early twenties. He had puffy blond hair that was slightly spiky and was brushed up and over his right eye. It hid the Ninja symbol on his blue headband. He wore the traditional Jonin outfit: Green armored Jonin Vest, blue skintight undershirt, black gloves, and blue pants. He had bandages wrapped around his waist that held up his pants and he had bandages on the lower part of his calf, over his pant legs, which disappeared under his ninja sandal boots. He was standing with his legs spread slightly, and he had his arms extended away from him, his left hand clutching a kunai knife and his right hand holding throwing stars between each knuckle. She wished that she had met him while he was alive.

Masashi continued, pointing to a young man right under Tannith's right arm. He had spiky brown hair that stuck out everywhere, but the tips of his hair were blond. He had blond eyebrows, and brown eyes. He had a round face, but a solid jaw. Under each eyes were four scars, horizontal and each were super thin. She was surprised once more. It seemed as if each member of the squad had scars under their eyes, except for Tannith. The young man wore a black shirt with a collar that rose to meet his chin. It was small, but it protected his neck. He had a silver zipper down the middle of his shirt, small but noticeable. He had a sword sheath and sword on his back, and the sheath wrapped round his chest from his left shoulder down to his right hip. It was black leather. His arms were muscular, and she realized that the sword must have weighed quite a bit. He wore fingerless black gloves, just like Rayu and Masashi. He had a black Leaf Village headband tied around his waist, like a belt, and tan shorts that came down right past his knees. His pose was reaching his left hand up to the sword handle, gently holding the sword as if he was about to draw it. He had a gentle smile on his face, but she could tell he was serious and deadly.

"His name is Kai Atu." Masashi said, and Sarah remembered the combatant from Rayu's trials.

"You mean he's related to Chomaru Atu?" She asked, wondering.

He nodded. "Yep. Chomaru is Kai's father. Kai is a big person, let me tell you. He's tall, muscled, and very competent. He's pretty smart too. Kai was like a big brother to us, even though he and Rayu were the oldest and roughly the same age. Kai's strongest traits were his loyalty, being able to be trusted with anything, and always being there for us." Masashi said this proudly, and Sarah smiled.

Masashi indicated to a boy kneeling right under Tannith's left arm, and she recognized him as Zennith. Zennith was facing away from the camera, facing off to the left so that the camera got his right profile. He had his right arm drawn into his body, as if he was saying 'YES!'. His left arm was extended up but slightly horizontal, and his gloved fist was extended in the 'rock on' symbol. He seemed so hyperactive, and Sarah laughed. Masashi laughed as well. "Yep, that's Zennith. He was a total dork. But he was a great guy. He was hyperactive, but he could be serious. He was…he was amazingly smart even though he hid it behind a wall of jokes." She watched Masashi out of her peripheral vision, and she saw him wipe away a tear.

"Um, this next guy is called Draken Tunnanai. He was just as hyperactive as Zennith, but he acted much cooler. He was an expert in Taijutsu, he used a unique style called Sharp Heel, and his kicks hurt like crazy. His feet were just as strong as Rayu's hands. He learned the Lotus techniques, and he was so strong he could release two Chakra gates without any strain on his body." He said, and she was surprised. This Draken must have been extremely strong. Not many, if any, could do that.

She examined the boy and smiled at what she saw. Draken had an olive brown complexion, and had chocolate brown hair pulled back into a ponytail that came down to his shoulders. He had his blue ninja headband around his forehead, and his eyes were squeezed closed. He had one horizontal scar under each eye, a paper-thin mark just like Rayu's. He was smiling, showing his teeth, but he had his tongue sticking out at the same time. She giggled, and she believed it when Masashi said he was hyperactive. He wore a white vest like Zennith's but his vest had a collar just like Kai Atu's. It was a small collar, but it still managed to protect the neck. His vest came up short, stopping at his belly, and she noticed that he wore a black skintight suit underneath his clothing. The gap between his tan pants and the vest showed the black suit, and she noticed his pants were Capri's. His forearms, starting at his elbows and ending at his knuckled, were covered in bandages. His arms were thin, but muscled and toned. He looked amazingly in shape. He was right in front of Kai, in the front row, on his knees while facing off to Tannith's right and striking a funny pose. He was just like Zennith, except both fists were in the 'rock on' symbol. His left arm was brought in front of his chest, as if he was holding some kind of gun, and his right arm was brought up over his head. He was definitely hyperactive. Sarah laughed, and Masashi nodded. "Yep. Really weird guy. But, he was cool." He said.

He pointed to the boy on Draken's left, right in front of Tannith but kneeling, and she recognized him immediately. It was Masashi. Masashi even had the scar under his left eye then. He was kneeling, his right hand on his right knee, and his left hand was extended. His left hand was curled into a fist, and sand was leaking from his fist. Masashi laughed as he said, "Yep. That's a real handsome guy right there. You'll never guess who he is."

Sarah chuckled, and said sarcastically, "Yeah, I've never seen him in my life. By the way, what did you mean 'handsome'? I don't see anyone handsome."

Masashi grimaced dramatically. "Oh, that hurt Sarah. That was cold."

She giggled, and he smiled. "And then last…is this weirdo. We all thought he was really weird. I think his name was like…Rayu Tazamaki. I think." He said. He was grinning still, and she noticed Rayu on Masashi's left. He was on his knees, sitting on his legs that were folded behind him. He had his left arm crossed over his chest and placed under his right arm, and his right arm was extended slightly away from his body and his right fist was made into a thumbs-up gesture. He had a small smile, and she noticed something weird. In this picture, he had the scars under his eyes. She was confused.

"Masashi…I thought Rayu's scars under his eyes were new?" She said, and Masashi shook his head in response.

"No. The Sand Ninja must have cut his pre-made scars open when they tortured him. All of us had the scars." He said thoughtfully.

"What were the scars for? How did it happen and why did you all have them?" She asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Well, we all did it on a stupid thing when we were all friends at the academy. Technically, I wasn't there when they did it, so I did one by myself. I only had one scar while they had two and more. You see, they did it on a 'blood brothers' type of thing. It was to see who could stand the most pain and who was the strongest of the 'blood brothers'. Kai was able to take the most pain. They each did as many as they could bear, and they did it like this. Rayu did it first, cutting into his skin, then Draken and then Zennith. They were only able to make two cuts, and they thought it kind of made them all equals. Then, Kai made eight cuts in a row before he couldn't take it anymore. They were all about to try to add as many as Kai, but Kai said that it didn't make him superior to them in any way. It's been like that ever since. Kai has been the one to take the most pain, but he's really humble." He explained this eagerly, and Sarah found it slightly intriguing and slightly stupid. But, she had to admit that it made the boys look tougher and more intimidating.

She nodded, saying, "Thanks Masashi."

He nodded, and flipped through a couple of pages of photos, obviously searching for another photo. He found it, and indicated to the photo. Sarah was surprised and struck by the photo, and Masashi grinned. "This was made right before our last mission. Rayu had an artistic strike, and he painted it for us."

The picture was of a sunset, the sun behind a forest, and a hill in front of the woods. The sky was a brilliant fiery red, mixed with purples and yellows, and on the top of the hill were the members of his squad. They all had their backs facing the viewer of the picture, but you could tell who was who. There was an ethereal quality to the picture, and that's when she realized something strange. Each member of the squad was wearing different clothing, and they seemed older. You couldn't see their faces but you could see Masashi with a Bo-staff and wearing bandages around the top of his head, Draken with short brown hair and a hilt-less katana, Zennith with long black hair and nun-chucks with spikes on the end, Kai with the same hair but he wore a strange wide-sleeved tee shirt and he was leaning on a massive sword, Rayu had the same hair but wore a white overcoat similar to his father and he had a sword over his left shoulder.

Sarah noticed something strange about the photo. Tannith was there, but he seemed see-through. There was also someone else on the hill, close to Rayu's side. This person was more of a shadow, all black and no detail to them, but you could tell their shape. It was definitely female, and she looked like she was wearing some kind of skirt or dress, and even without the details you could tell she was pretty. Sarah was struck by the strangeness of the whole picture, and realized suddenly that it was a copy. "Where's the original?" She asked.

Masashi shrugged. "I don't know. Rayu just handed copies of this to everyone, and I guess the original might be at his house or something. We asked him about this picture, about how he painted it. He said that he didn't really know. He felt dizzy while he started to paint, and he blacked out. Then next thing he knew, he was standing in front of a finished masterpiece."

Sarah was so struck by the photo, that it was hard for her to tear her eyes away. The picture looked as if the people in the picture might walk of the paper and into the real world. Masashi closed the book slowly, and Sarah whispered, "That's amazing."

Masashi nodded, and said, "Yeah. Ever since he painted this, he never picked up the paintbrush again."

Sarah stood, and said, "Thank you so much for allowing me to see those photos and for allowing me in here."

Masashi stood, and bowed slightly. "No. Thank _you_ for taking me to see Rayu. It was…amazing."

Sarah and Masashi walked out of the room and made their way back down to the front door of his house. Mrs. Cherie seemed as cheerful as ever, and she said, "Come back soon! We'd love to have you for dinner sometime!"

Sarah smiled and nodded, promising that she would do that sometime. She walked out of the house, and felt Masashi's piercing gaze on her the entire way as she walked down the street. She felt giddy, confused, and astounded all at the same time and she didn't know why.

She decided to walk home and practice the technique, to make sure that she would be ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow, she would bring Rayu back and they would be reunited. Tomorrow, she would fulfill her promise.

That night, from 3:00 that afternoon when she got home, she memorized the technique. She didn't stop for dinner, and she didn't stop to sleep until midnight. She memorized the entire technique and was able to perform it without messing up. By the time midnight rolled around, she was happy and content with the fact that tomorrow, she would uphold her promise. Then…Rayu would uphold his.

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Well, that's the end of Chapter 17. Chapter 18 will be the chapter that Rayu will be coming back! YAAAAYY!!! BTW: if you want to see the Group photo that was described, go look into my pictures. I have a picture there that is what was described. It's black and white, though.


	18. Chapter 18: Day 3, Ressurection part 1

Okay people! Chapter 18 will be told through two perspectives: Rayu's perspective and Sarah's perspective. We will start with Rayu's perspective, and throughout the story, we will be switching perspectives.

Note: When a line is made up of this, that means that it is a change of time.

When a line is made up of this: ------------------, that means that no time has passed and it is a change of perspective.

When a line is made up of this: -------, that means it is a change of time _and _perspective.

Keep these things in mind.

P.S. There is a 'shower scene' in this chapter. It's nothing inappropriate at all; it's just a setting where the character has time for reflection. If I offend anyone, I apologize. It's not my intention, and I don't mean to be dirty in any way.

Chapter 18: Day 3, Resurrection Part 1

Circled by his ancestors, Rayu sat cross-legged on the grass. The afternoon sun beat down on his bare shoulders, but he ignored it. Here, he could not get sunburn. His shirt was off, and he had a long line of red symbols down his back, around his neck, and down his chest. It was part of the ceremony.

He controlled his breathing. _Breathe in one, two, and three. Breathe out one, two, and three._ He thought, going through the motions. He fought to calm his stormy mind, thinking of nothing but being surrounded by pitch black. He pictured himself floating in just a wide-open and empty black space, and his mind concentrated solely on that image.

He could hear the murmuring of his ancestors, and he tried to ignore it. His father spoke, and Rayu listened intently, even though he had his eyes closed. Rayu listened to his father's baritone voice closely as he said, "Rayu…this next memory is not one of yours. This next memory is one of mine, and it will hopefully lead to a chain reaction that will unlock your past. If it does not, we will have to try something else."

Rayu gave a slight nod to show he heard, and almost sighed. They had been trying to unlock his memories using tons of different techniques ever since Sarah and Masashi had left. Rayu had been subject to things he couldn't describe, not that they were unpleasant or horrible, but he was tired. It seemed as if he would never be completely himself.

He heard his father mutter a phrase, and then he knew what was happening. His father was holding his first finger of his right hand to his temple, and then with a strange gold glow surrounding his hand, he would pull out a strange smoky substance that remained anchored to his golden finger. He would then put the smoky substance right on Rayu's temple, and Rayu would experience the memory.

Rayu could feel his father's hand nearing his temple, and he braced himself for the disorientation that he would experience. It would start with a strange spinning sensation, and then a weird twisting feeling in his mind and gut, and then it would end and he would experience the memory.

He felt the sensations, and then almost became sick because of them. He felt the spinning, then the twisting, and then with a flash, he experienced his father's memory. This memory however, was different. Rayu knew immediately he wasn't just being shown the memory, he was experiencing it.

He opened his eyes and noticed that he was standing in the middle of a street at night. Everything around him had strange blur to it, but not enough blur to completely distort his vision. He blinked a few times and everything cleared up. He was in the middle of a dark street, and then things morphed, and he found himself in a dark room. He heard a slight snoring, and a gentle murmur.

There was a loud knocking sound, and immediately Rayu detected motion from right next to him. A bedside lamp was flipped on, and Rayu was surprised to see his father in bed, but now awake. He didn't seem groggy at all, and he jumped out of bed. Rayu backed off, and saw his father quickly change into his Hikage clothing. His mother, Kimiko, was blinking rapidly and trying to shield her eyes from the light.

"Kenshin? What's the matter?" She asked.

"Someone's at the door." He said, and he slipped on his sandal boots. Rayu saw his mother quickly throw on a robe, and she brushed her pink hair behind her ears and she quickly ran out of the room while Kenshin slipped on his shuriken holster.

He then bolted out of the room as the knocking sound happened once more. Rayu followed, and was surprised to see Kimiko with a six-year-old Rayu in her arms. Kenshin opened the door, and Rayu was surprised. His younger self woke up immediately, and struggled to get down.

Kimiko let him down, and he yelled happily, "Sarah!"

Rayu looked at the three figures in the doorway, and examined their features when Kimiko flipped on the lights. Two adults, both red-haired and gentle featured, stood with a young girl between them. The father had short red hair, and the mother had shoulder length red hair. They both had blue eyes and they were wearing white robes. Sarah was wearing a blue pajama robe with cute little pajamas with pink monkeys on them underneath the robe.

Kenshin spoke, "What's wrong, Kaya?"

The father smiled quickly as Rayu ran over to the young girl, and Rayu realized that it did look a lot like Sarah. Rayu and Sarah hugged, but Sarah looked disturbed. Kaya spoke, his voice deeper than any other voices that Rayu had heard.

"Kenshin, Sarah thinks there is something wrong. She woke up and, well, we'll let her tell you." He said, and Rayu watched with interest as Kenshin allowed the Kasairoze family into the house.

The room that they were in was an entry room and a living room, and Kenshin stooped down in front of a shy-looking Sarah. Rayu was pulled away by his mother, and Kenshin asked kindly, "Sarah? What's wrong?"

Sarah spoke quietly, and Rayu could tell she was still tired. "I…I woke up, and I think there's something wrong. It's too quiet. I can't hear the owls, and I keep hearing weird noises."

Rayu watched intently, and noticed his father tense up. He looked over at Kimiko, a look of concern on his face. "Sarah, I believe you, but what kind of noises?" He asked, a note of urgency creeping into his voice.

Sarah thought hard. "The noises were like whispers. But, when I looked around, no one was there. I didn't know what one kind of noise was, but it sounded like an animal."

Kenshin rose, and sighed. It was a sad sigh, and Rayu felt anxiety building in his body. "Thank you very much Sarah." He turned to his wife, his face drawing into a determined look. "Take Kim and the children and run into the woods. Now."

Kimiko did as she was told, and motioned for Kim to grab Sarah. The women grabbed their children and ran out of the house, leaving only Kaya and Kenshin. "Kaya, we need to raise the alarm."

Kaya didn't move. "So, they finally found us?" He asked, his deep voice sad.

Kenshin nodded. "Yes. The Demons are here."

Then, Kaya and Kenshin both ran out of the house, and Rayu followed. They were yelling at the top of their lungs, telling everyone to get up. They were yelling that they were under attack, and Rayu followed them through a maze of streets and houses.

They finally made it to a big gong in the center of the village, and Rayu was amazed at how large it was. It was as large as a two-story building. Kenshin performed familiar hand signs, and extended his palms towards the gong. A blast of energy shot at the gong, and as soon as it hit the gong, it dissipated.

The result was spectacular. There was a large vibrating sound emanating from the gong that Rayu was sure would be heard everywhere, while the light energy that had hit the gong cast a massive blinding light across the sky.

Within moments, Rayu could see again, and he was surprised at what he saw. Kenshin and Kaya were surrounded by enemy ninja. The enemy ninja were hard to see, seeing as they were all clad in black, but you could make out the red glow coming from their eyes. Rayu did a quick estimate and guessed there were over two hundred enemy ninja.

Kaya gasped and Kenshin quickly assumed a fighting stance. One ninja walked forward, a hulking brute that stood seven foot tall. He was wearing black clothing that covered everything but his eyes. He spoke, and his voice sounded just as deep as Kaya's. "What luck! We have already found the Hikage. Any last words?" He taunted Kenshin, but Kenshin did not even flinch.

"Yes." Kenshin said, and with a blur of hand signs, he yelled, "Light Style: Rei Bomb!"

The giant cursed, and Kaya quickly stepped right next to Kenshin. A golden bubble formed around Kenshin and Kaya, and with one final hand sign, the bubble exploded outward. Kenshin activated the explosion with the Tiger hand sign, and a flash of light even brighter than the one a few seconds earlier flashed and Rayu actually had to shield his eyes.

Rayu heard a roar, and he realized how destructive the Rei Bomb must be. Even though he was not physically there in the memory, he could have sworn he felt the faint heat of the bomb.

After a few more moments, the light disappeared, and Rayu opened his eyes. What he saw…amazed him. Kaya and Kenshin were standing on regular stone, but in a five feet radius around them and extending outwards, everything was melted. There were faint hints of dead bodies, piles of ashes, and Rayu was surprised to see that the gong was red hot and provided light for the entire village.

Kenshin didn't lose a moment. "Be ready. That was just an advanced attack party. Just to test our defense."

Kaya didn't seem shaken at all from that blast, and he nodded. "Our ninja should be here any moment."

A moment later, with a puff of smoke, over five hundred ninja appeared around Kenshin. Rayu could tell that the memory was at its end, because he felt the sensations of spinning and twisting again. He was still surprised by the destructive force of the Rei Bomb, and he thought, _Whoa, man I have to learn that one._

---------------------------------------

Sarah rose from her bed at 9:00, because her stomach was twisting in hunger. She realized how hungry she was, but she was more aware of how badly she needed a shower. She felt grimy, and she desperately wanted to get clean. She rose from her bed, quickly gathered clean clothes for the day, and quickly ran to the bathroom.

She quickly shut the door behind her, and breathed a sigh of relief. Her father hated it whenever she ran around the house without being properly clothed. She was just in her nightgown, but he had a cow whenever she just wore her nightgown and not something underneath it like pajama pants.

Her bathroom was very plain. It had a white porcelain sink and a mirror directly to her right, a few feet away from that was a white porcelain toilet, and then there was a large cabinet to her left that held towels and hygiene products. Straight ahead of her, about seven feet away from her, was a tub/shower. It had flowery drapes that slid open and closed on a shower rod, and it was the only thing that was colorful in the bathroom. Even the walls were just plain white, and the floor was white tiles. She ignored the plainness, and quickly laid her clean clothing on the corner of the sink.

She then walked over to the shower, opened the curtain, and started the water so that it could warm up. She undressed, and after a few moments, she went into the shower. She sighed as her feet touched the warm water, and then she pulled up on the tab that switched the water from the tub faucet to the shower. Immediately, a high-pressure stream of water splashed down on her. She sighed in contentment, and immediately started to clean herself.

The heat of the shower relaxed her muscles, and she was surprised because she hadn't realized she was so tense. She could feel her muscles unknotting, and she felt a lazy sensation overtake her. It was nice and relaxing, and she smiled. As she filled her hand with cherry blossom scented shampoo, a thought flitted across her mind. _Today…Rayu comes back._

She couldn't help it, but she gave a small giggle of excitement. She applied the shampoo to her hair, and then she scrubbed languorously as the high-pressure stream of water pounded her tense muscles and relaxed her. It was a lot like a massage. She turned her back to the stream of water, and sighed at the water pounded on her neck and back muscles.

She rinsed out her hair, and another thought flitted across her mind. _Today…everything is up to me. If I mess up, life won't be the same. Rayu's depending on me._

She set her jaw determinedly, and then reached for the soap and a washcloth. She said softly, "I will _not_ let him down. Never."

She scrubbed her body clean, lathering and rinsing. She realized that she would only have one shot at the technique, and if she screwed up, she wouldn't be able to live with her mistake. She felt her muscles tense up at the thought, and she took a few deep breaths and relaxed. Her muscles slowly unknotted once more.

Unbidden, her imagination kicked in. It was a strange thing, as if she blacked out, because all she could see was the image, and she wasn't aware that she was still in the shower. It was almost like a vision.

(_Flash_)

_Sarah was sitting on a wooden floor, cross-legged, in front of Rayu's body. They were surrounded by candles, and Sarah had just finished the technique. She had concentrated her Chakra onto her seal, and used it like a spear to shatter the seal and purge it. Nothing happened other than a little bit of pain._

_She opened her eyes slowly, hopeful tears rising. Rayu's body was still. His chest did not rise with an intake of breath, and his skin was still pale. He lay there, completely still, gloved hands clasped over his chest. He was wearing his traditional clothing, and his ninja headband on his forehead. He looked so peaceful, but she knew that something was wrong._

_Rayu Tazamaki was dead. Tears of panic rose in her eyes, replacing the hope. She focused her Chakra once more, and drove at the Seal. She battered the Seal relentlessly with bursts of Chakra, desperately trying to purge the seal and release her love. For all her efforts, nothing happened._

_She knew she failed. She had failed him. She started to shake uncontrollably, trembling. She uncrossed her legs, and crawled on her hands and knees towards Rayu's body. When she reached it, she sat down and hoisted his rigid body onto her lap. Tears started to fall from her eyes, and she felt the icy claws of anguish claw at her belly. She was shaking as she cradled the body of her loved one, and she started to cry loudly. It picked up from a cry, to a wail, and from a wail, to a full-fledged scream._

_Her anguish wasn't just an emotional pain, but the emotional pain was so intense that it became a physical pain. It was as if someone was sitting there, and cutting out her heart with a dull knife. She screamed once again, lamenting her failure and the loss of her lover. The icy claws that had been tearing at her belly now clamped around her heart, squeezing the life from it. Despair, agony, and the feeling of worthlessness were all tearing her apart. She felt as if the best thing to do, was to take her kunai and plunge it into her chest._

_She felt her right hand weakly move from holding Rayu's head, and down to her kunai holster. Her hand gripped the white tape-wrapped handle of the kunai, and drew the kunai out of its holster. She brought it to her chest, the point digging lightly into her skin through her tank top. She leaned down to Rayu's ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."_

_She then took a deep breath and prepared to plunge the kunai into her heart, and end her life right then and there. What stopped her was a serpent-like hiss of, "Yesss…"_

_She whipped her head around, tears blurring her vision. However, the only thing that she could see made her blood freeze in her veins. Two, glowing red eyes staring at her through the dark. She opened her mouth, and screamed._

(End Flash)

Sarah's heart was pounding, and she felt tears rolling down her face. She knew it was tears, because the water wasn't in her face. She sobbed, feeling the icy claws still clamped at her heart. It had felt so real. It had seemed so real.

She held her hands out in front of her, and noticed that despite the heat, she was shaking uncontrollably. She reached for the bottle of conditioner off to her right, and held it for maybe half a second before the shaking caused her to drop the bottle. The bottle hit the ground with a loud _bam_, and she immediately bent down to pick it up.

She froze as soon as her hand was a few millimeters away from the bottle, hearing a sound that caused her heart to stop in absolute terror. It sounded like a soft snarl, like a beast of some kind, and it was coming from behind her. She felt her body shake all over, and she fearfully straightened. She felt her chin quiver, and she felt her heart pounding the blood through her veins like a hammer. She quickly whirled around, sending her hair flying through the air, looked fearfully for what had made the noise. She saw nothing but the shower wall. She fell to her knees in relief, and the water splashed onto her face in a high-pressure massage. She saw where the sound came from, and almost cried with relief.

The sound had come from the drain, from water going down the drain. It wasn't a snarl of a demon or a beast, only water. The hot water splashed her face and body, and she breathed in a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes. She let her tears mingle with the hot water, and after a few moments, found the strength to stand.

She shakily stood, almost falling in the process. For all the heat of the shower, she was freezing. She was scared, and she tried to control her breathing. She turned off the shower, and then quickly dried off. She got dressed in her training clothing of her white tank top and red shorts, brushed her teeth and hair, and then quickly exited the bathroom.

It took ten minutes for all of that, because she could not stop shaking. As soon as she was out of the bathroom, she was feeling slightly better. She walked to the kitchen, unsure of where her mother and father were, and prepared a bowl of cereal. It was simple, quick, but filling, and she quickly glanced at a clock on the kitchen wall. 9:55 a.m., it read.

She half choked on the cereal in her mouth as she realized that if she didn't hurry, she would be late for practice with Asaki and his squad. She left her bowl on the table, swallowed her food, and then ran out of the front door. She ran down the stairs, hopping down each flight of stairs easily, until she made it to the lobby. She was surprised to see her mother and father standing outside of the doors, facing someone. She could tell they were in a heated discussion with someone, and she was surprised when she looked between her parents and saw Kyle Razashima standing calmly with his hands clasped behind his back.

Sarah walked over to the door, and opened it, causing her parents to jump in surprise. She shut the glass door behind her and asked, "What's going on?"

Her father ran his hand through his hair, and sighed, and Kyle Razashima gave her a soft and sad smile. "Sarah…I came to tell you that late last night, Asaki Watanabi went missing."

Sarah blinked, and then said softly, "What?"

Kyle continued. "There were signs of struggle in Asaki's room, but no one seems to have heard it. Everything is trashed, and they found one thing in Asaki's room." Kyle brought his hands out from behind his back and showed her something she recognized. It was a black leather fingerless glove that had a long strip of leather that was used to be strapped around your arm. It looked a lot like Masashi's. Her blood ran cold and she thought, _Could Masashi have been possessed again?_

Kyle seemed to know she knew whose it was and said, "Would you be so kind as to show me to his house?"

Sarah shook her head. "He couldn't have…there's no way he could have. Not after talking with…" She trailed off. She had an idea, and she forced herself to remain calm. She had to get to Masashi.

"Fine. I'll prove to you that he didn't do it. I'll take you to his house." She said, and she started to run off in the direction of Masashi's house. Kyle followed her easily, then she heard faint sounds behind her, and she realized that Kyle had brought a few ANBU with him. She grew angry, and ran faster. With each step, her anger grew, and after a minute, she was willing to turn around and yell at the men following her.

However, she finally reached Masashi's house, and they all stopped in front of the house. Three ANBU members that had followed her pulled out their swords and started to walk up to the porch when Sarah yelled, "No!"

They turned to her, confused. "You will not go into my friend's house with weapons drawn! Put your swords away! We'll go in like civilized people!" She yelled, and reluctantly they put away their swords.

She stomped up the porch, and knocked on the door five times. A few seconds later, Cherie Frinizaki opened the door. She appeared sleepy, and Sarah was immediately sorry. "Mrs. Frinizaki…I'm sorry, but we need to see Masashi. It's very important. Could you send him down?" She asked, and Mrs. Cherie nodded.

"Sure thing, Sarah. Um, he'll be down in a moment." She said, and then left Sarah standing on the porch. Sarah turned around and glared at the three ANBU members, but they showed no reaction.

A few moments later, a wide-awake Masashi walked out the front door and shut it behind him. He was wearing a black turtleneck and black pants, he even wore his black headband this early in the morning, and he only wore one glove. His right glove. Sarah quickly looked to the glove in Kyle's hands and noticed that it was a left-handed glove. Her stomach started to twist, and she noticed Masashi's concerned look. It wasn't aimed at his situation, but at her. He seemed to be able to tell something was wrong with her.

"Sarah…are you okay?" He asked, and he put his right hand on her left shoulder.

She nodded, and said, "I'm fine…but Asaki Watanabi is missing, and they found that in his room. There was a scuffle, and Asaki's room was trashed. They only found a left handed glove…" She pointed to Kyle's hands, and Masashi visibly flinched at the sight of his glove.

The three ANBU casually rested their hands on the hilts of their Katana's, and Sarah noticed that Masashi's left hand started to curl into a fist. She asked softly, "Masashi…did you hurt Asaki? Did you injure him or kidnap him? Did you fight with him?"

Masashi withdrew his right hand from her shoulder, and said, "Sarah…it's not what it sounds like. I was at Asaki's house…because he invited me. He wanted to talk, he said. He told me he wanted to find out all about me. I was confused about why, and I went. When I made it there, he invited me into his room, which is on the third floor of his mansion. Now…as soon as I entered the room, I noticed there were sound barrier seals around the room, keeping anyone but us from hearing outside of the room."

"He…started off by talking to me, and then I noticed something really strange about him. As he was talking, it was…as if he wasn't even there. It was as if he was a puppet, and someone else was pulling his strings. His eyes seemed blank, and he looked strange. After around five minutes…I got really uncomfortable with the questions he was asking me, so I thanked him and tried to leave."

"He didn't want me to, and as I tried to walk out, he grabbed my left hand. On instinct, I struck out and punched him in his eye. He pulled my glove off and I tried to walk off again. This time, he attacked me. He was fast…but I managed to win the upper hand when he tripped on a piece of clothing on his floor. I jumped out of his window and came back here. I don't know what was wrong with him…but I think it was _them_."

Masashi said this calmly, and Sarah saw his left hand uncurl from the fist he was making. Without warning, Sarah pulled down the neck of his turtleneck, and noticed a bruise around his neck in the shape of a hand. Kyle Razashima walked forward and Masashi instantly pulled backwards, back peddling to gain room as he slipped into a defensive stance.

Realizing what he was doing, he slipped out of the stance. He looked down at the ground, and replaced the collar to hide the choke mark that Asaki had inflicted. "I'm sorry." He said, and Sarah half-lunged at him and wrapped him up in a hug.

He was stiff, and unsure of what to do, but she knew that he needed it. There were some things he couldn't tell his family…and this was one of them. After a few moments, he hugged her back and whispered, "Thank you."

She nodded as she pulled back and said, "Masashi…I think you're right. I think it was them."

Masashi nodded, but the ANBU stepped forward. "Who is _them_?" One of them asked.

Sarah shook her head. "I can't tell you. Rayu will tell Tsunade all about it when he comes back. However, I can tell you this: Asaki isn't himself anymore. I think that what happened to Masashi happened to Asaki. He's been possessed by a…violent and angry force. Masashi isn't to blame." She said.

Kyle spoke. "Actually, it is. If he had told someone instead of keeping it to himself, we could probably have stopped him."

Sarah shook her head, giving a sad smile. "No. You see, the force that's possessing Asaki multiplies its host's abilities for its own use. If you tried to capture it, it would be similar to trying to capture the Hokage or a Sannin. Their Jutsu strength and physical strength, as well as their speed, is multiplied by two or three times depending on the force's own strength."

Kyle didn't seem to accept this. "We still could have tried, or he could have warned us."

Sarah glared at the Jonin. "No. It's not his fault. If you had tried, Asaki most likely would have killed the people trying to capture him. Masashi isn't familiar with these forces even though one possessed him. He wouldn't have known what to warn you about! And, no one would have believed him anyway! So don't you blame him!"

She shouted at the Three Anbu and Kyle Razashima, and they seemed a little agitated at being yelled at by a Chunin. She yanked Masashi's glove from Kyle's grasp, and handed it to Masashi. "I'm sorry that we bothered you, Masashi." She said, and walked off.

Kyle turned to her and angrily yelled, "Wait a minute! Where do you think you're going?"

Sarah stopped, turned, and cast a withering glare at the man. "I'm going to prepare to bring my fiancée back from the dead." She said, and that visibly made Kyle angrier. He obviously thought she was just being rude.

He stalked after her, and she was half-worried he would strike her. However, his hand extended, in a pointing finger. "Don't you dare insult your superior! I could-Augh!" He said, but was cut off by a flying kick from Masashi.

Kyle was knocked away from Sarah, and Masashi landed in front of her, arms spread to protect Sarah. He still had his left-handed gloved clenched in his left hand. Sarah realized that he had thought that Kyle was going to hit her. Sarah knew what was about to happen, and yelled, "STOP!"

The ANBU halted drawing their swords, and Masashi looked over his right shoulder at her. Kyle picked himself up off the ground, angry. "I'm going to report you to the Hokage!" He roared at Masashi, but Masashi didn't even flinch.

"I told Rayu I would protect you, and I keep my word." Masashi said, addressing Sarah.

Sarah smiled. "Thank you…but I wasn't in any danger." She then turned to Kyle. "He misunderstood you, Mr. Razashima. He thought you were going to hit me, so he reacted." She said this softly, apologetically, and Kyle seemed shocked.

"He thought that I was going to hit you? Why would I hit you?" He asked, clearly confused.

Masashi looked at the man, and dropped his hands at his sides. He hung his head low, and apologized. "I'm sorry, sir. I thought you were going to hit her…I…I overreacted. I'm sorry."

Kyle was rubbing his head, right where Masashi had kicked him. He was still angry, but he seemed a little apologetic too. "Um, I guess I forgive you. But, I am going to have to bring you in for questioning still. We need to determine if you're telling the truth."

Masashi looked up, and turned to Sarah. "Sarah…If Asaki is out there, and he's been possessed…stay on guard. Stay safe."

She nodded, and watched as he simply walked up to the ANBU. "Okay. I'm ready." He said, and the ANBU escorted him down the street. Kyle walked with them, reluctantly. What had happened seemed so…unfinished. He shook his head, but walked away to escort Masashi.

Sarah was left in front of Masashi's house. She sighed, and realized that she would have to inform Mrs. Cherie about the events that just happened. She would tell Mrs. Cherie only what she needed to know, and then she would go to Tsunade and get everything prepared to bring Rayu back.

-------------------

Rayu emerged from yet another memory, closer to unlocking his own memory. However, nothing had been unlocked yet. He opened his eyes, and growled in frustration. He was so close! He could tell!

Standing in front of him was his Grandfather, Rayu Tazamaki. His kind blue eyes were sympathetic, and Rayu stood up. He was tired of this! He used a new technique he had been shown, using Chakra to wipe his body clean of the red marks on his back, chest and neck.

"Rayu, I don't know what else to try. If it hasn't worked yet…I can't think of anything else that we can do that would help you remember." Kenshin said. Rayu nodded reluctantly and put on his red shirt. He pulled it down over his head, situated it, and then walked over to the pond. He stood there, looking down into the shimmering surface, and sighed.

He mulled over everything he had learned, and then he thought about his father's sentence. "It's nothing that _we_ can do. Nothing that _we_ can do…" He repeated, and he felt something nagging at his memories.

Then…he remembered. It was as if someone opened up a floodgate, and submerged him completely, trying to drown him. He remembered his Leader, Tannith saying the exact same thing before the torture began.

(_Flashback_)

_Rayu groggily raised his head, and immediately knew what was happening. He was captured…and tied up to a tree. He opened his eyes, and had to wince to block the morning sun as it pierced deep into his retinas. He groaned, and tried to see if the ropes were weak at all. No such luck. The ropes were tight._

_He grunted as he tried to wiggle his hands to try to perform a Shadow Clone or at least a substitution Justu, but his wrists were also bound. He cursed, and then was surprised when he heard a young man's voice. It was Draken. "Rayu…you're finally awake, sleeping beauty?" He joked. He was trying to lift Rayu's mood, and it worked._

"_Sleeping Beauty is more than we can ever say for you, Beast." Rayu chuckled, and looked towards the voice. He was able to turn his head to see Draken Tunnanai directly to his left. He had a long bleeding scratch down the left side of his face, but he looked fine otherwise. His toned arms also struggled against his bonds, but they both knew it was useless. Even Draken, one of the physically strongest of the bunch, could not break free._

"_Ouch…that was a burn!" Came another voice, chuckling. It came from Rayu's right, and he looked towards it. It was Zennith, with his face half-hidden behind his collar. He seemed cheery enough, but there was a sense of despair too._

"_Eh…shut your trap. I was trying to get some shut-eye. After all, you're the one who likes being tied up when you try to sleep…" Came a deeper voice. This voice belonged to Kai Atu, who was just past Zennith to Rayu's right. His broad chest was wrapped securely in ropes, and his massive sword lay at his feet, out of reach. The insult was a friendly jibe, something they all did when they were in trouble._

"_So…you boys can't manage to try to be serious or just sleep? I suggest you try to get your beauty sleep, because you need A LOT of it." This one was an adult voice, coming from directly in front of Rayu. He looked, and saw Tannith Sukara tied up directly in view of all four Chunin. He was grinning, even with several cuts on his face._

_Rayu grinned back, and Rayu said, "I would suggest the same thing for you, but I doubt it would help you, Tannith-sensei."_

_All the other boys hooted enthusiastically and made several remarks about being 'served'. However, after a few minutes of laughter, the seriousness of the situation set in. "Can anyone manage to get free a little bit at all?" Asked Tannith._

_Everyone replied negative, and Tannith sighed. "Great. Just great." He said, and fell silent. Each of them knew they were screwed, but no one wanted to say it. Rayu knew something was wrong, because everyone else was exchanging glances and casting meaningful motions at Rayu._

"_Guys…what's the matter?" He said, not bothering to look at them. His head was lowered so that his chin almost rested on his chest, but he could see them out of his peripheral vision._

_They each stopped, and Draken said, "Master Tannith? If he has not remembered in all his years yet, I think we should tell him. If anything, we should tell him before…" He trailed off before he said 'we all die'. They all knew what he meant, though._

_Tannith sighed. "Very well. You were bound to find out eventually, though not without permission of your father." He said this to Rayu, and Rayu was confused. He looked at his master, and was confused._

"_What do you mean?" He asked._

_Tannith sighed again. "Well, you know that you came to the Leaf Village at age six, correct?" He asked, and Rayu nodded affirmative._

"_Well, you can't remember anything before that, and my guess is that it's just not time for you to remember. So, listen closely and this might help you." He said._

_Zennith spoke up. "Did you ever wonder why we were the only five man squad?"_

_Rayu looked at him. "A couple of times, but I figured it was just testing for something. Possibly to see how effective five men can be as a squad."_

_Zennith shook his head. "No. We were all assigned in the same squad to protect you."_

_Tannith took over. "You're from a secret village, and you are the son of its Kage. Your father's name is Kenshin Tazamaki, Hikage to the Hidden Light Village. You see, there are two secret villages that battle for all eternity, until the end of the world. One is evil, wanting to conquer the world and throw it into chaos. They are the Hidden Demon Village. Our village was created to stop them, and to preserve our Lord's creations._

"_Nine years ago…there was an all-out attack on the Light Village, and you and your betrothed were sent with your mothers into the forest. From what we learned, your mothers went back to see if they were needed, but were killed. So your betrothed, Sarah, took the initiative and you both escaped into the wilderness._

"_Your father repelled the first attack, I know because I was a ninja who showed up right after he wiped out an advanced party of two hundred ninja all by himself. But, they sent a massive horde of summoned demons and creatures with all their ninja. We managed to distract them while our village evacuated, and once everyone was safely gone and teleported to different villages around the world, and then we fled. Half of us were killed, but we managed to kill a lot of them too._

"_Ever since then, your father has been watching over you, or so he told me. He said that only when the time was right he would come back for you and tell you who you really were. All the families were stationed in different villages, in case you surfaced. Once you were found in the Hidden Leaf village, a lot of us came to the village to protect you and surround you at all times. So, we gained special permission from the Third Hokage to form a five man squad, and you've been surrounded by Light Villagers ever since."_

_Rayu listened to the story, bewildered, but knowing that his Leader wouldn't lie to him. All of this was sounding too fantastic to be real. However, his amazement was cut short by a rasping chuckle. "So…that's who we've caught. We knew you were Light Villagers, we just didn't know your importance."_

_They all turned their heads, and saw the nine ninja they were pursuing. Rayu remembered that Masashi had killed one of them, and he grinned a little. But then the gravity of his situation kicked back in as the ninja walked into the plain sight of everyone. They wore tan colored clothing, and Sand Village headbands, but something seemed off about them._

_Rayu looked at their eyes, and saw a faint red glow in each of their pupil's. Everyone else must have seen it too, because Tannith growled, "Demons…Possessors from the Demon Village."_

_The enemy chuckled, all as one, and Rayu felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Something bad was going to happen. Their leader, one wearing a Jonin vest, said, "I have an idea. Seeing as you're so important," He said this looking directly at Rayu, "we'll save you for last. We'll let you watch them die slowly by our hands."_

_He made a motion, and four Sand ninja walked over to the boys. They grabbed their jaws in their hands so that they could force the boys to watch, and held their eyes open. Rayu felt panic rise, and watched helplessly as the remaining five ninja withdrew kunai knives and needles and advanced on his leader. Each of his comrades struggled, trying to get free, except for Rayu. He looked directly into his leader's eye and smiled softly. _

_Tannith smiled back and said, "If it's meant to be, there's nothing _we_ can do. It's all in Jesu's hand. It's his plan, and whatever must happen…will happen."_

(_End Flashback_)

Rayu opened his eyes, unaware that he had even closed them, and saw his ancestors surrounding him. He found he was unable to move as his mind seemed to reboot. He couldn't move, but he could see, hear, and breath. They were asking him if he was alright, but he couldn't respond.

His mind seemed to start back up, and with it…came the memories. His teachings, his childhood, his escape, his life, everything of importance. He sat up, and they helped him stand. No one spoke, and Rayu was too caught up in the moment of realizing that he was whole to say anything yet.

Minutes passed as he remembered the teachings of his village, the Philosophical and Spiritual standpoint that he had, and everything about his village was revealed in his mind. He spoke in a whisper, looking at each of his ancestors. "I…am Rayu Tazamaki. Son of Hikage Kenshin Tazamaki…Humble Servant of Jesu the creator and sustainer of my faith. Vessel of the Holy Spirit, and creation of God the Father. I am a humble servant fulfilling my Lord's wishes…I am a Light Villager."

He grinned with them as they all realized what he was. He was…whole.

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And that's a wrap for Chappy 18! Chapter 19 is the actual Coming Back! YAAAAY! Or will he come back? Bwahahahahaha!


	19. Chapter 19: Ressurection Part 2

Okay! This is one of the pivotal chapters in the series! Read and enjoy! I would like to know what everyone thinks! If you are reading this, let me know. Let me know if it is total crap, if it is wonderful, if it's perfect, etc. Just let me know!

Wow…talk about a lot of updating. Here we go! ENJOY!

Chapter 19: Day 3: Resurrection Part 2

Sarah sighed as she looked at a clock on the wall to her left. It was 2:00 already. She looked over to her right as Masashi, who had his attention on Hokage Tsunade in front of them. Sarah had just requested some materials she needed, and Tsunade was ordering them. Tsunade finished writing down on the scroll, and then handed it to Shizune. "There. All of the materials you requested will be brought to you." Tsunade said, looking at Sarah. Sarah had sighed in disappointment and anxiety. The time to bring Rayu back was near.

Sarah bowed politely. After she had talked to Masashi's mother, she had gone directly to Tsunade, and then explained Masashi's situation. They had questioned him for hours before she could finally get him out. They finally determined he had told the truth. Masashi bowed to Tsunade, still wearing his turtleneck, but now he wore both of his gloves.

Tsunade spoke in a harsh voice. "So, how's everything going to go? Will you need a special place, or will you need any additional personnel to perform this?"

Sarah shook her head. "All I need is a quiet place to be alone with Rayu's body…and the supplies I requested. Once he's back, I'll bring him back to you for you and him to debrief."

Tsunade nodded, her lips pursed together. "Sarah…what if you fail?" She asked, and Sarah was surprised to see Tsunade so sympathetic. She seemed so genuinely worried.

Sarah's breath caught in her chest when Tsunade asked. "I…I won't fail. He's depending on me…and I won't let him down." She said, determination filling her. She straightened, and Tsunade nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. Then I will see you when you bring him back." She said, and Shizune walked in with a burlap sack full of the supplies that Sarah had requested. Shizune handed the sack to Sarah, who bowed in thanks.

Shizune bowed back, and watched as Sarah and Masashi exited the office. She turned to Tsunade as the door shut behind them, and asked, "Do you really think it will work?"

Tsunade sighed, and Shizune could see she had mixed feelings. "I honestly don't know. I have heard about and seen things the past week that I never would have believed or thought could exist. Now…now I really do not know. It could work…or it could not. All we need to do is wait and see."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Masashi and Sarah walked silently down the streets of Konoha, relaxing in the afternoon sun. They both felt awkward, of that she was certain. She and Masashi had been walking not that long, but she could tell Masashi was uncertain about what to say.

She thought quickly and said, "Masashi…would you guard me?"

Masashi looked over at her, surprised. "Of course. Rayu told me to…so I will. No matter what."

Sarah nodded, content. "Good. Because I'm going to need a guard when I perform the technique. I'll be defenseless, and I have a feeling that the enemy won't want this to take place. Plus, with Asaki out there…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

Masashi nodded. "Don't worry. Whatever comes…will have to get through me, and I don't intend to go down easily." He said this while clenching his right fist in front of him, and Sarah knew he was dead serious. Whatever came, she felt sorry for it. If it had to face Masashi in his fullest, whatever it was would be hurt.

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

He smiled back, adjusted his black bandanna, and said, "Hey, no problem. But, I gotta tell my mom. She gets awfully worried when I'm out with girls for more than ten minutes." He said this jokingly, and Sarah playfully punched him in the shoulder.

He rubbed his shoulder ruefully and grinned as they walked. They walked in silence the rest of the way to his house, and Sarah was surprised at how short it seemed. They were already at the front porch, and Mrs. Cherie was waiting on the porch, apparently worried. As soon as she saw Masashi, she ran forward and wrapped him up in a hug.

He tried to protest, and Sarah watched with a grin from a distance. It was funny to see someone as intimidating as Masashi being hugged by his mother. She could tell he was embarrassed, so she indicated that she would wait off in the distance a little bit. He nodded, and as she walked away, she heard him talk to his mother.

"Mom…I'm going to guard Sarah. She's going to be bringing Rayu back, and I have to protect her or she could be killed. I…might not come back, mom." When he said the last part, even Sarah gasped in shock. Did he really think that Asaki would win if he fought?

She turned, and saw Mrs. Cherie wrap her son up in a tearful hug. "Oh, sweetie. I love you so much…please don't talk like that. You're my baby boy…and you'll come back safe to me." She said this, trying to be brave for her son, and Sarah felt tears starting to well up in her own eyes. Masashi meant it when he said that whatever happened, whatever came, would have to get through him first.

She watched as Masashi disentangled himself from his mothers grasp, whispered some words, and went into the house. Mrs. Cherie walked over to Sarah, and Sarah felt pity for the woman. She might lose her second son today…

"I won't take him with me if you don't want him to go, Mrs. Cherie. I can manage." She said this, not wanting to cause the woman anymore pain.

Mrs. Cherie shook her head. "No, Sarah. I don't want him to go, but I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you if I could have prevented it. Not to mention, if Rayu is brought back, all our troubles could be over." She wiped away a few tears, and Sarah nodded.

"Don't worry. I'm sure nothing will happen to him. I doubt anything will want to mess with Masashi at all." She said, trying to comfort Cherie.

Mrs. Cherie nodded and walked away, towards Masashi who just emerged from the house. He had ropes, strings, scrolls, and bags of traps slung over his shoulders. He was coming prepared.

Mrs. Cherie wrapped him up in a hug one last time, and then let him leave. Sarah waited for Masashi, and when he walked up to her, she said, "Masashi…I…I really appreciate this, and I know Rayu will as well."

Masashi nodded, and grinned. "Well, at least now I can test out some cool stuff I bought a couple of months ago. They go boom, and I like things that go boom."

She could tell he was just disguising his worry, but she couldn't help but chuckle. "Masashi, you're crazy." She said, and started to walk.

"Yeah, but you're even crazier. After all, you're the one who wants to raise the dead." He said this, walking after her, with a roguish smile on his face. Sarah shrugged. When he was right, he was right.

---------------------

Masashi had followed Sarah to a small one room Dojo, one that had been abandoned some time ago, and he had set up traps around every entrance. He had started to put Sound Barrier Seals around the whole place, and when Sarah asked him why, he replied, "If there is a fight, it's going to be plenty loud. You need all your concentration, so you are going to need some quiet time. However, if I lose, you're not going to be able to tell. So there's a plus side and a down side. Just make sure you get the ceremony done quickly."

Sarah nodded, and shut the doors to the Dojo. She emptied the sack of supplies, and started to arrange the supplies necessary. She had seven candles, which she set up in a large circle, she had yellow paint and a paintbrush, and she had several traps to set up around her, just in case something got past Masashi. While she desperately hoped nothing would happen, she had to set up backup plans.

She lit the candles, and with the dim lighting, she started to paint a seal in-between the candles. She carefully painted each stroke with care, making sure that nothing was out of place. The seal that she was painting was the exact same one that had appeared in her Divine Separation Jutsu. She didn't realize it, but another two hours passed before she was finished. By the time she was finished, it was four o'clock in the afternoon.

She heard the door to the Dojo open, and she immediately drew her kunai and spun around. The sunlight filtered through the door, and she saw Masashi leading in two men carrying Rayu's body in a stretcher between them. She sighed, but didn't put away her Kunai. She had to stay on guard.

Masashi nodded at her as he guided the men, and after a few moments, they laid Rayu's pale and stiff body in the middle of the painted seal. The yellow paint seemed to pick up the glow of the candles, and it cast a glow on Rayu's body that seemed almost…heavenly.

Masashi ushered the two men out, and turned to Sarah as soon as the Dojo door was shut. "Is everything ready? I have everything prepared outside." He said, and Sarah nodded, not really looking at him. Her eyes were still on Rayu, his arms folded across his chest and looking so peaceful. She turned to Masashi and nodded. "Yes. Everything's ready now. I'll be starting in a few minutes. It won't take very long at all."

He gave a small smile, looked at his friend's body, and then left. Once he was gone, Sarah sat cross-legged inside the circle, right next to Rayu's body. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, envisioned the clearing, and exhaled gently.

With a flash of white, she opened her eyes to the familiar sight of the clearing. Everyone was obviously waiting for her, standing up and facing the spot where she always appeared in. The youngest Rayu wasn't with the line of ancestors, so she assumed he was by the pond. She walked up to the line of ancestors, specifically standing in front of Kenshin.

His warm blue eyes met hers, and she smiled. "Everything's ready, Mr. Kenshin."

He nodded and smiled back. "Everything is ready here as well. His memories have been fully returned."

Ryu Tazamaki, the oldest, took a step forward from the line. Sarah turned to her left, to face him, and he faced her. "Sarah…we all believe in you. Good luck." With that, the line separated, and made way for her to walk past. Standing past them, looking into the pond, was Rayu. He had his back turned to her, and she couldn't help but notice he looked…different. His whole body language came off as strong, determined, and confident even with his back turned.

She walked past the ancestors, silently, and without a sound, she walked up behind Rayu. She stood there, silent and waiting. She waited for him to acknowledge her, when he suddenly spun around and yelled, "Boo!"

She was shocked, and jumped slightly. He grinned, and wrapped her up in a hug. She embraced him back, giggling. Her heart rate was through the roof, but she was happy to see Rayu regardless.

He chuckled, and they separated. She looked into his eyes, and she smiled. "Everything's ready." She said.

He nodded and looked down into the pond's shimmering surface. "Yeah, I saw you preparing."

He looked back at her, his smile softening, and said, "Thank you…for everything. For protecting me through the wilderness…and for going through everything that you have over the past few weeks."

She felt a slight flush rise to her face, and she said, "Hey…you would undoubtedly do it for me, so I think it's fair that I do it for you. Besides, you'll be making up for it soon." She said.

Rayu grinned. "Any ideas on the date of the wedding?"

She blushed and said, "No. I haven't even told my parents yet."

Rayu nodded. "Okay. That's fine, because I have to ask them for their permission first. You know, keep the traditional stuff alive. But it's not like they could keep us apart…"

Sarah nodded at this. They were betrothed since they were born, and there was nothing her parents could do about a pre-arranged marriage. She nervously extended her right hand up to the left side of his face, and he smiled. She ran her fingers along the warm flesh of his face, and she whispered, "Rayu…I love you."

His smile disappeared, and was replaced with a kind but serious face. "I love you too. Nothing in this world, or not of this world, could keep me away from you. Nothing." He extended his own right hand, but he ran his fingertips along from her temple down to her jaw. He smiled softly once more and she closed her eyes as he moved his hand to the back of her head, and gently brought her face towards him. She felt her heart pound within her chest, and she felt faint. She thought he was going to kiss her on the lips, but he kissed her on the cheek. He whispered, "I'll kiss you for _real_ when I get back." He pulled back, grinning.

She grinned as well and started to pout playfully. She put on a playful smile and said, "Oh, you big tease."

He smiled, and stepped back. "Be safe, and if you get interrupted, don't worry. It can be performed in its _fullest_ only once, but if you need to repeat it because you're interrupted, take care of the problem and start again." He said.

She nodded, and said, "I'm going to start the technique now. I'll see you soon." She hated letting go, but she separated from him.

He smiled and nodded, and she closed her eyes. She tried to clear her mind, but she could not get him from her mind. _Stupid teaser…_She thought, with a mental grin.

She sighed dramatically, and opened her eyes. "You got me all excited…I clear my mind." She said to him, and he started laughing.

"Sorry. I guess I'll have to stop being so good at that." He said sarcastically, and she rolled her eyes.

She gave him a playful shove, and closed her eyes once more. She managed to clear her mind, and then concentrated on the Dojo. She saw the flash of white through her eyelids, and knew she was back in the Dojo. Her belly still had butterflies from Rayu, and she tried to calm her breathing. It took a minute or so, but she finally managed to calm herself. She shook her head. It was amazing…the reactions that she had whenever she was around him.

She calmed her breathing, and closed her eyes once more. She started to chant under her breath, saying words that had no real meaning that she could tell. However, she still said them just as she was told to. She chanted the strange mantra eight times, and then she started to make the hand signs. She stopped chanting, and started to pray, as instructed to do. She wasn't given a specific thing to pray, but she prayed her heart out.

"Father God…I come to you with a request. I know that I am not fit to even have your attention let alone ask for something of this magnitude, but I still ask. Father, I ask that you would bring Rayu back to life…bring back my love. He still has an appointed task before him, and I pray that you would allow him to carry that out. Oh Lord…please, please bring him back to me." She said, and she continued to pray.

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Masashi could hear what she was saying, but she couldn't hear what was going on outside. He grinned. It would work…he knew it. It couldn't fail, because a Prophet of God had made a prophecy about Rayu…and God's prophecies never failed.

His grin froze when he noticed someone walking down the street, wearing a brown robe that obscured their features from his view. But, just by the person's walk, he knew who it was. They were forty yards away, but Masashi yelled, "Asaki…you can't come here!"

The figure froze, and a rasping chuckle came from the figure under the hood. "I'm sorry, but Asaki's not home right now. I doubt he'll ever come back." The figure said, and threw off the robe. Revealed now was Asaki, his black spiky hair all messy, but instead of his green eyes…his eyes were blood red.

Masashi instantly pulled out one of the many kunai he had at the ready, and stood in the guard position. "Ah…so the little worm wants to play? Fine. But, I'll make this quick. We can't have our quest failing, can we?" Asaki asked himself, rasping in a serpentine way. His movements stopped being so jerky, and became fluid. _Great. He's suppressed Asaki completely now. The only way to separate him from Asaki is the Divine Separation, which I don't know._ Masashi thought.

Masashi didn't bother to chatter, but he threw his kunai at Asaki. He acted surprised when Asaki caught it and didn't even bother looking at it. "Hah…you fool! This boy's abilities are mine, but his every faculty is doubled. His speed, his hearing, his vision, his strength, and his endurance." Asaki said, and Masashi grinned.

"What?" Asaki said, and looked at the kunai in his left hand. Attached to the kunai was an exploding letter note that was carefully pasted onto the handle of the kunai. He tried to throw it away, but it exploded in his hand.

Masashi watched as Asaki was thrown backwards, shocked but unharmed. "Dang. Guess I have to pack more power in those things." He said, disappointed at the lack of 'umph' from the explosion.

Asaki picked himself up from the ground, and dusted himself off. "Fool. It will take more than that to hurt me." He said, and Masashi's eyes widened. Asaki seemed to have just simply vanished from sight.

He saw an after-image of Asaki, and realized that there was no way he could win without help. He just hoped he would manage to last long enough to bring Rayu back. Asaki appeared right next to Masashi, and backhanded him away from the door of the Dojo.

Even as he was flying away, Masashi grinned. He had been standing in a complex layered booby-trap, standing in the only safe spot. He flipped in the air, and skidded to a stop in the dirt. Masashi taunted, "You wanted something stronger?"

Asaki's red eyes widened as thousands of Kunai and shuriken flew at him from everywhere, along with exploding notes. Asaki disappeared once more, but this time it was because of a Substitution Jutsu. Asaki watched as a plank of wood was embedded with thousands of projectiles, and blown to smithereens by the exploding notes.

Masashi looked around, but was too late. Asaki had appeared right next to Masashi, and he clamped his hand tightly around Masashi's throat. Masashi gasped in pain as the bruise seemed to explode with pain, and Asaki chuckled. "That was a well put together trap. I wouldn't have escaped if I didn't have my host's tactical memories. But, now…you die."

Masashi felt Asaki's grip tighten, and he felt his breath leave his body slowly. His veins started throbbing, and he knew he had hardly any time left. He had only one backup plan in case this had happened, and he hoped it would work. He waited a few moments, and then when he was at the last of his air, he made a cracking sound with his mouth closed.

He had excelled in ventriloquism, and he made is sound as if his neck had snapped. He had learned that the best thing to do was play possum, but he knew the only thing he was doing was saving his own life. He would pass out in a few moments, but hopefully he would revive before Asaki killed Sarah and kept Rayu dead.

He watched with seemingly blank eyes, trying to play dead, and felt Asaki release his grip. He kept his face passive and his eyes blank as he fell, but when he hit the ground, he felt unconsciousness start to take him. He watched in desperation as Asaki set off several more traps, and went through them unscathed. Asaki turned back to Masashi and sneered as he opened the door to the Dojo. That was the last thing Masashi saw.

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Sarah was at the end of the technique, where all that was required was for her to concentrate her Chakra and purge the Seal. She concentrated her Chakra onto her seal, and used it like a spear to shatter the seal and purge it. She felt a strange vibration, but ignored it as pain made her head spin. She cleared her head, and took a few deep breaths. She didn't really know what to expect, but she hoped that she had done everything right.

She opened her eyes slowly, hopeful tears rising. Rayu's body was still. His chest did not rise with an intake of breath, and his skin was still pale. He lay there, completely still, gloved hands clasped over his chest. He was wearing his traditional clothing and his ninja headband on his forehead. He looked so peaceful, but she knew that something was wrong. Suddenly, she remembered the vision that she had experienced in the shower that morning. _Oh no…oh no. I failed. No…no…_she thought, and she realized something.

Rayu Tazamaki was dead. Tears of panic rose in her eyes, replacing the hope. She focused her Chakra once more, and drove at the Seal. She battered the Seal relentlessly with bursts of Chakra, desperately trying to purge the seal and release her love. For all her efforts, nothing happened.

She knew she failed. She had failed him. She started to shake uncontrollably, trembling. She uncrossed her legs, and crawled on her hands and knees towards Rayu's body. When she reached it, she sat down and hoisted his rigid body onto her lap. Tears started to fall from her eyes, and she felt the icy claws of anguish claw at her belly. She was shaking as she cradled the body of her loved one, and she started to cry loudly. It picked up from a cry, to a wail, and from a wail, to a full-fledged scream.

Her anguish wasn't just an emotional pain, but a physical pain as well. It was as if someone was sitting there, and cutting out her heart with a dull knife. She screamed once again, lamenting her failure and the loss of her lover. The icy claws that had been tearing at her belly now clamped around her heart, squeezing the life from it. Despair, agony, and the feeling of worthlessness were all tearing her apart. She felt as if the best thing to do was to take her kunai and plunge it into her chest.

She felt her right hand weakly move from holding Rayu's head, and down to her kunai holster. Her hand gripped the white tape-wrapped handle of the kunai, and drew the kunai out of its holster. She brought it to her chest, the point digging lightly into her skin through her tank top. She leaned down to Rayu's ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."

She then took a deep breath and prepared to plunge the kunai into her heart, and end her life right then and there. What stopped her was a serpent-like hiss of, "Yesss…"

She whipped her head around, tears blurring her vision. However, the only thing that she could see made her blood freeze in her veins. Two, glowing red eyes staring at her through the dark. She opened her mouth, and screamed.

Asaki stood in front of her, a little ruffled and scuffed from a few of the traps he had encountered, but grinning like a maniac. "No…no…this can't be happening!" She yelled, and dropped the kunai

"Just go away!" She said, and with Rayu still in her lap, scooted backwards away from Asaki. He was on the outside of the candles, but stepped right past them. One step, and he was already within killing distance. Desperation gave her an idea, and she said, "He's dead! The technique failed! Just go away!"

Asaki grinned evilly, and rasped, "No. You see, even though the technique seems to have failed…I can still kill you. Just like I killed Masashi."

Sarah's blood ran cold, and felt more tears escape from her eyes. "No…no." Was all she could say. She had let Masashi die…and now she would die as well.

Asaki crouched in front of her, his red eyes boring straight into her soul. "Now…make sure to die with as much pain and fear on your face as possible. It gives me so much pleasure." He hissed, and wrapped his right hand around her exposed throat.

She gagged, but didn't fight. It was pointless. With a demon in complete control, there was no hope for her to survive. No one could win against a demon without knowing the Divine Separation after being able to weaken the demon by fighting. She wouldn't last a few seconds against the demon possessing Asaki, and she knew it.

However, something happened. Asaki yanked back his hand, and yelped. Sarah felt the familiar burn on the side of her neck and was surprised when it felt like she was being branded by the seal once more. She clutched her neck, and cried out in pain. She felt her skin heat up, as if it was on fire, and then suddenly the pain disappeared.

She had closed her eyes in a reaction to the pain, but she quickly opened them. She looked around, and saw Asaki staring with wide eyes. She realized he was staring at something next to her head, and she looked. Floating in the air, was the seal, glowing with golden light.

She quickly wiped tears away from her eyes, and she realized what was happening. "Yes." She whispered.

The seal slowly floated down to Rayu's body, and stationed itself on the right side of his neck, the side facing Asaki. She saw the seal flash with a dull glow, and when the flash happened, Rayu's body jumped. She held him, and felt his skin grow warm. The seal flashed again, and Rayu's body jumped again. She held him tight, and was ecstatic when Rayu inhaled deeply. She looked closely, and saw him breathe in once more. His eyes flickered back in forth from behind his eyelids, and his fingers twitched.

Asaki couldn't take anymore, and instantly charged. He roared, "Stay dead!"

He pulled a kunai from his holster, and plunged it towards Sarah's surprised face. Sarah closed her eyes on instinct, and was surprised when she felt no pain. She opened her eyes, and saw the point of the kunai a few inches from her face. Clenched tightly to Asaki's wrist, was Rayu's right fist.

Rayu's ice-blue eyes were open, and his gaze was locked with Asaki's. "Be gone." He said, and with a shriek, Asaki bolted away.

Sarah watched him go, and was about to chase after him, but stopped when something strange happened. As soon as Asaki opened the door to the Dojo and started running, he was clotheslined. He flipped through the air, and landed on his back. Masashi appeared in view, staggering, and fell to his knees. Asaki tried to get up, but Masashi clenched his right fist and pounded him square between the eyes. Asaki's head hit the ground, and he didn't rise.

Rayu didn't move from his position in Sarah's lap, but he said, "Hey there, stranger."

She looked down at him, tears flowing. She was still crying, but this time it was because she was happy. She embraced him, wetting his face with her tears as she pressed her cheek to his. "I was so scared. I thought it didn't work…" She said, and Masashi walked in.

He seemed a bit pale, but other than that he seemed fine. "Hey guys. Sorry about that. He kinda made me take a short nap." He said, and massaged his neck gingerly.

Rayu instantly tore himself away from Sarah embrace and rose. Masashi stopped, no more than a foot away from Rayu now. Rayu gently pried the turtleneck collar away from Masashi's neck, and growled in anger. "That demon…will pay." He said, and he closed his eyes. He put his hand around Masashi's throat, and a brief flash of light exploded from Rayu's hand.

Sarah stood, unsure of what just took place. Rayu slowly took his hand away from Masashi's throat and Sarah was surprised to see that the bruise around Masashi's neck was gone. Rayu then turned to Sarah, eyes open, and surprised her again. He pressed his lips against hers, and she closed her eyes. It was surprising, but he had said that he would kiss her for real once he came back. She didn't really know what she was doing, but she pressed her body against his, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Rayu wrapped his left arm around her waist, and his right arm around her upper torso and placed his right hand in the middle of her back.

She pulled maybe a millimeter away from his lips, to take a deep breath. She whispered to him, "Wow." She felt her lips graze his as she spoke, and she leaned in for another kiss. She breathed in and out through her nose, and they kept kissing for a few more moments. That was, until Masashi coughed awkwardly.

Rayu and Sarah both blushed, having forgotten he was even there. They looked over at him, and laughed when they noticed that he was staring very intently at the ground. "Um…I would thank you the same way, Masashi, but I don't think either of us would like that." Rayu joked, and laughed even harder when Masashi looked at him with a look that would scare a demon.

"Evil jerk." Masashi muttered, and he said. "Uh, I hate to break up your 'thanks', but we need to take you to Tsunade to brief her on everything."

Rayu grinned one more time, and said, "Okay. Do me a favor, though." Masashi nodded, indicating he would.

"Tie up Asaki for me. I need to thank Sarah just a bit more." He said, a mischievous grin on his face.

Sarah felt herself blush an even deeper red at Rayu's remark, but didn't protest. Masashi gave a disgusted sigh, and walked away. Rayu watched him go, and then turned back to Sarah.

"Seriously though…thank you." He said.

"Your welcome. Now…thank me a bit more." She said playfully. She gave him a 'come and get me' grin, and he wiggled his eyebrows up and down in response.

She giggled, and then closed her eyes as their bodies pressed together even more and their lips met. She got lost in the moment…relishing the sweet warmth of his lips on hers, and she knew that he was lost as well. She felt lightheaded and giddy, and she thought, _now _this_ is a kiss._

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Hey guys! Thanks for reading so far! Sorry I ended it like that, but I couldn't think of any other way to end it. A couple of you guy readers cough justincalebandpatrick cough won't like it, but oh well. I liked it, so that's the end of it. Anyway, next chapter will be explaining everything to Tsunade. It will be a fairly…enlightening chapter if nothing more than long. So, thanks for reading, and I hope you guys liked it!


	20. Chapter 20: The Origins

Well, thanks for the continued reading, people! I hope you are enjoying this series. Now, this chapter is one of the most pivotal chapters in the story. This explains the origins…of all the opposition and possessions. Therefore, I hope you enjoy this next chapter and I hope it will answer many questions about where I have been going with this series and what the whole point is. So, without further ado:

Chapter 20: The Origins

Rayu Tazamaki, newly revived, was walking down the street with the unconscious Asaki Watanabi over his shoulder. He was not breathing hard at all, and he was not even sweating a little bit. He had Asaki over his right shoulder, and he held Sarah's right hand in his left hand as they walked side by side. Masashi walked behind Rayu, kunai at the ready in case Asaki woke up.

It was 4:15 in the afternoon, and the hot afternoon sun beat down on Rayu's shoulders. He grinned up at the sky, to his left at Sarah, and then behind him at Masashi. Man, he loved being alive!

Sarah squeezed his hand gently and lovingly, and he looked back at her and winked his left eye at her. She blushed slightly, a faint pink color, and giggled. Rayu stroked her hand with his thumb, and he smiled again. He leaned close to Sarah's ear and muttered softly, "You have soft skin." He nuzzled his chin in the crook of her neck and he chuckled as he said, "You smell great, too."

Her response was to lean her head against his, blush an even deeper red and say, "Um, thank you?" She didn't know what to say to that, and Rayu chuckled some more. His warm breath ran over her skin, and she felt her skin tingle softly.

"Come on, guys! Please, just keep it for when I'm not around!" Masashi whined, not too keen on seeing the entire PDA.

Rayu chuckled and reluctantly removed his head from Sarah's shoulder. She sighed, and then Rayu laughed. "You know Masashi, when you have a girlfriend, I'm going to make sure to be the PDA Police around you. I'll make the same comments you make."

Masashi grumbled behind them, and Rayu shifted Asaki. The unfortunate youth groaned, still unconscious, but remained still otherwise. The group of friends made a left turn on a street, and then walked towards the biggest building. The Academy, at which the Hokage was stationed in their office.

Rayu entered the Academy's front doors, and into the wood floored and well lit hallways. The clean smell of the Academy brought back memories to Rayu, who instantly remembered his friends. They walked down the white-walled hallways, and after they passed each classroom, Rayu felt a stab of sadness. He and his friends had been through every one of these classrooms.

They passed countless doors, and finally made it to a stairwell that would take them to the Hokage's office. They were silent, and Rayu knew that Masashi had let his guard down. Both of them were reliving the moments that they had with each other…with their friends and brothers.

Rayu did his best to keep a lid on his emotions, and he was sure that he had masked his emotions well enough not to let any show. However, he was surprised when, as they were climbing the stairs, Sarah stopped him. She was holding onto the wooden wall that served as a railing with her left hand, and still holding Rayu's left hand with her right. She looked at him for a moment and then looked forward again and said, "It's not a sign of weakness to show emotion…you would probably honor them more by showing your true feelings than hiding them behind a mask."

He looked at her, surprised. She simply looked forward, watching where they were going. He climbed the stairs, his sandal boots making tapping noises on the wooden steps, a little clumsily. After not receiving any sign of attention from Sarah despite a slight squeeze to his hand, he looked forward too, and nodded.

He cautiously lowered his emotionless mask, and let one emotion show at a time. He knew that Sarah was watching, and that is what made him so nervous. Sure, she had seen him at his worst, but he didn't want to appear so weak. He wanted to be strong…to show her that he was strong for her.

The emotions that flitted across his face uninhibited whenever he was struck by a memory were intense. They caused tears to well up in Rayu's eyes, and he felt a warm tear spill down his left cheek. The only sign he had from Sarah, was her gently caressing his hand with hers. She was giving him a measure of privacy, but also showing her support. He gently caressed her hand back, and they continued to climb the staircase.

They passed level after level, until they reached the correct level. They left the stairway, and walked the distance of 50 yards to reach the Hokage's office. The green carpet that was in the middle of the curving hallway was wide enough to fit them, about 8 feet wide, but the hallway was wide enough to leave two feet on each side of the carpet to reveal the hard wood floor. Rayu finally reigned in his emotions, knowing he would need to be fully in control for the debriefing that was about to take place.

He walked up to the office door, and knocked. His knuckles made barely enough noise to be registered on the thick wooden door, but it was opened immediately. Standing in front of him was an ANBU, Shizune, Tsunade, and Iruka the Academy Teacher.

Rayu walked in past the ANBU who had opened the door, and inclined his head respectfully to the Hokage. Sarah and Masashi walked in after him, and stood against the wall behind them as the ANBU shut the door behind them. Tsunade was obviously pleased to see him, as well as Shizune and Iruka. However, their expressions were troubled and Rayu guessed it was due to having Asaki over his shoulder.

He found an empty chair, and set the unconscious boy in it. "He attacked Masashi and Sarah during the technique…he almost succeeded in keeping me from coming back. But, he's not quite himself. He's been possessed." Rayu explained. He turned to the ANBU. "Um, you might want to keep an eye on him. He's _very_ strong and resilient."

The ANBU nodded, and Rayu grinned as he recognized the figure. "You're the one who I first met on the day I came back." He said, knowing it was.

The man nodded, and he said, "It's good to see you back. Although it's quite disturbing that the dead can be brought back to life…"

Rayu nodded, accepting this. It was true. How many times was someone brought back to life, not using a Forbidden Jutsu that required human Sacrifice? None that was known of.

Tsunade spoke, her voice gruff and businesslike, but having a trace of fondness and even happiness hidden. "So…Sarah promised me-" She started, but Rayu broke in.

"I know what Sarah told you. And, I will tell you everything, Tsunade-sama. But first, before I start, I have to let you know one thing." He said, and Tsunade nodded.

He walked between two chairs stationed facing Tsunade's desk, and then crouched down onto his left knee. He bowed his head and said, "I am still a Leaf Chunin…regardless. I owe you my allegiance, especially for all you have done. Not even my newfound memories or this new-coming knowledge can prevent that."

He stood, and Rayu knew that it would solidify his position even further. He just hoped that they knew he was completely genuine. He motioned for Sarah and Masashi to take the two chairs on either side of him, and they complied. Tsunade spoke once more. "If you're wondering why Iruka is here…it's because I have a feeling that this will effect some of the students at the Academy. Students that could be affected like Kurenai Frinizaki…and family members of your squad. I don't know why…but on a hunch I invited him."

Rayu nodded. This would indeed have a lot to do with the students at the Academy. "That's good that you did invite him. Iruka-sensei, I'm glad that you will be able to hear this. What I'm about to tell all of you is the _complete _history since the beginning of our world. I will do my best to take it slow and keep it simple so as not to confuse everyone. So get comfortable, it might take a while."

He stayed standing, but everyone else shifted in his or her seats. The ANBU guard tied up Asaki, using rope, a gag, and several cuffs to keep Asaki from being able to make any kinds of attacks. Asaki stayed slumped with his head bowing forward and his chin on his chest. Rayu wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that the demon that was possessing Asaki was listening and watching with interest.

"Now…what I'm about to tell you has been told to each and every Hokage, and no other Kage's. The Leaders of the Hidden Leaf Village have been trusted above all because the Hidden Leaf Village was proven to be the most trustworthy of all of the other villages. I hope that I have judged your character correctly, Tsunade-sama and that I have not made an error in telling you this."

Rayu took a calming breath, and then exhaled softly. He closed his eyes, and reached into his newfound memories. He gave a soft smile as he spoke softly. He was not a master at story telling, but he knew just enough to get the point across.

"Our world was created by one God. One God, who has three distinct personalities. He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It may be confusing, but He always has been and always will be. He transcends our boundaries of thought, time, space, knowledge, and power. He had no beginning, and He has no end. He is All Powerful, All Knowing, and All Present. He is everywhere…even here now." He extended his right hand slowly off to the side and with his eyes still closed, he pointed out a window.

"There. Listen. You can hear Him, see Him, and feel Him in everything around us. In the textures of the floor, in the soft caress of the wind, in the small voices of the insects, in the beauty of the earth…He is there. He created two realms…The Physical Realm and the Spiritual Realm. The Physical Realm is Earth, and the Spiritual Realm is Heaven.

"Heaven is a place of perfection, where there are streets of gold and massive hosts of Angels. Angels are mighty beings: Warriors, Messengers, Guardians, and thousands of Angels created solely to worship and sing praises. This whole story begins with one angel. He was a chief angel, one of the most magnificent in Heaven. His name…was Lucifer."

Rayu returned his arm to his side once more, and opened his eyes halfway. He was drawing on his memories, examining the teachings that he had been given. He wasn't just saying things…he was seeing them. He was experiencing a vision…a gift given only to Prophets and Hikage's. He spoke softly, but knew that everyone could hear him. He felt the comforting peace surround him like a warm blanket, and knew what was happening. _I'm experiencing an Anointing. _The Holy Spirit had extended His hand, and was surrounding Rayu…Anointing him with Grace to say what was needed.

"Lucifer was a proud angel, one who knew that his beauty was second to no angel in heaven. He harbored this Pride in his heart, thinking that God didn't know of it. He rose up in rebellion with one third of the massive hosts of angels, having turned them against their creator with words of deceit. God saw what was happening deep within Lucifer, and raised the other two thirds of the Hosts of Heaven to quell the rebellion. Lucifer lost, refusing to bow down to God, and was cast down to Earth. He was still stuck in the Spiritual Realm, but he was on Earth, unable to take part in the glory he once was able to." As Rayu spoke, he realized he wasn't really speaking. He was merely a vessel, being used to tell the story. He felt his body straighten, and he was at his full height. His half-closed eyes snapped open, and had he been able to see himself he would have seen his pupils flicker with a Living Energy. A wind blew through the window Rayu had pointed at earlier, blowing papers off Tsunade's desk and ruffling everyone's hairs and whipping their loose clothing around their bodies.

However, everyone was watching with awe at the sight of Rayu. His skin glowed softly, a white energy gently shining outwards from him. His eyes sparkled, and literally shone with an otherworldly light. He spoke, his voice still a whisper. However, his voice echoed in everyone's head, and no one missed a word. Sarah looked on in fear and awe at the sight of Rayu, and she felt a feeling in her heart that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was complete and absolute peace. She knew then…that God was indeed with them.

"God, even from before the Earth and Universe were created, planned a purpose for Lucifer. Lucifer became the Deceiver, and when God created Man for His own pleasure and want for companionship, Lucifer caused the Fall of Man. Lucifer became the Father of Lies and Sin…and he caused Mankind to fall from the Grace of God. God knew this would happen, but because he loved man enough not to make them mindless drones…he gave them the free will to do what they pleased. Man turned sinful…and God became troubled. Man began to murder, commit sins that should never have been thought of…and they used one sin in particular. This Sin was rooted from Rebellion.

"At the Beginning of Creation, God gave man power…derived directly from that person's soul. We call it Chakra. It was God's power, but when man sinned, he no longer wanted God in order to perform powers. Lucifer interfered, and twisted man to make them think that it is their own power. God destroyed the earth in a flood, but saved one family. That family repopulated the earth, but as always, Lucifer interfered. He created the same sins over and over again through the descendants of men…and Lucifer continued his rampage.

"Lucifer created a village among the others…but it was hidden. He created a village with a secret purpose…to create a way to bring Lucifer into the Physical Realm so that he may control the Earth and one day raise an army to fight God. He named his village after his minions…and called it the Demon Village.

"However, God knew this and set up a village to counter this. The Light Village came into being, and God charged it with the mission to counter every move made by the Demon Village. The inhabitants of the Light Village were raised with Truth…with the knowledge and priority, even above countering the Demon Village, to save the world.

"God the Son, in order to save Mankind from eternal separation from Him, had descended to the Physical Realm. He was fully God, but fully Man. He was perfect, never giving into the temptations that rose to swallow Him. He loved us so much…that He gave His life for us so that we wouldn't go the Hell. Hell, a place of fire and pain…for all of eternity. Those who do not believe in the Love of God and deny Him are sent there; even though God does not wish it were so. He gave Man free will, and God will not interfere with it. However, God the Son became the Perfect Sacrifice…and He died so that we would have the chance to believe and live with God when we die. He was sacrificed upon a cross…and three days after He died, He rose from the Dead. He defeated death and the grave…and He charged us to tell others. He is how we draw our strength to defeat the enemy."

He stopped, and the wind died down to a gentle breeze. Rayu's face became saddened, and the power seemed to diminish a little. He did not meet anyone's gaze, but stared at the floor. "However, nine years ago…the Light Village came under attack. Somehow, the Demons found out the location of the Light Village and gathered their forces. We were attacked…and many were killed. My father, the Hikage and leader of the Village, repelled the first advance wave. However, there were too many of the enemy and they had foul demons on their side. My father fought, with a small force of strong ninja, and they created a big enough distraction to allow the non-combating citizens to escape and scatter. The Major Clan families who escaped were: The Tunnanai's, the Atu's, the Frinizaki's, the Kasairoze's, the Tazamaki's, the Lore's, and the Kizigame's. Many non-clan families also escaped and scattered rapidly to every nation in hopes to find me. Most came to the Leaf Village, seeing as this was the closest and most likely village that Sarah and I would come to."

Here, Tsunade interrupted. "What? The Atu's, the Tunnanai's, the Frinizaki's, the Kasairoze's and the Tazamaki's are all names I have heard. All those families are here?" She asked, incredulous.

Rayu looked at her, his energy-filled blue eyes locking with hers. "Yes. Most of the Clan families came to the strongest nation: the Leaf Village. Each Clan family has its special attributes just as the many Clans of the Leaf Village. However…no Kasairoze's truly remain except for Sarah. The Kasairoze's and the Tazamaki's are wiped out except for her and I. They were the first lines of defense against an attack, seeing as they were the strongest of the Clans. The others had their strengths…but ours were the strongest. Only her and I remain. However, as I was saying, the Demon Village's attack was successful, but even my father escaped. He stayed alive for nine years, moving constantly with the powerful members of the Light Village and monitoring me. However, the makeshift mobile command center that he had constructed once again was attacked by a large force of Demon Ninja. It was attacked…one month ago..." He trailed off, and the significance of the time was at first lost on everyone.

However, then Tsunade murmured, "No…one month ago? That was when you were on your way back from…your mission." At the end of the sentence, her voice became a whisper as everyone realized that she was right.

Rayu nodded, and he continued to speak softly. "My father watched me and provided me with protection in the form of my five squad-members. As soon as he died, the seal upon his neck manifested itself on me. That is one function of the genetic part of my seal. But, my squad was attacked around the same time that my father was killed. But…there's something else that I have to do before I carry my task out that every Hikage before me was charged with."

Tsunade interrupted yet again. "What task is that?" She asked, and Rayu locked eyes with her. Everything was silent, and then the wind died completely. He whispered the words, but they seemed louder than a scream. "To destroy the Demon Village."

There was a silence, and then an evil cackle filled the room. Everyone except Rayu jumped, and Rayu merely turned around to lock eyes with the source of the cackle: Asaki. "Fool! Do you think that you alone can conquer us? Ha! Not even your father could have done it! You are arrogant, and you will die!" Asaki, or rather the demon possessing Asaki, hissed.

Rayu whirled around, and the wind suddenly came back to life as a furious gust. He pointed a finger accusingly at Asaki, but even Sarah and Masashi and the Anbu flinched. Rayu's eyes were flickering crazily with the living energy. "_YOU_ are not to dictate what I can or cannot do, Demon. I am the Chosen, appointed for a purpose, and that purpose is to bring about you and your brethren's downfall! I am the strongest of the Hikage's yet, and I am imbued with strength even more than my father's father! Your Brother's will fall, your village will fall, and your task will never be fulfilled! Be gone, and leave this boy in Peace, in the Name of God's Son Jesus!" Rayu's had shouted every sentence with a cold anger in his voice. As soon as he pronounced the name Jesus, Asaki started to shake violently.

Sarah jumped out her chair, along with Masashi, and desperately tried to hold Masashi down. Sarah yelled to Rayu, trying to be heard over the still roaring wind. "Rayu! I think the Demon is trying to hurt Masashi before he is forced to leave!" As she said this and looked at Rayu over her shoulder, her red hair fluttered in the way of her vision. Her hair fluttered back away, clearing her vision, and Sarah gasped. Standing on either side of Rayu were two 7-foot tall men who Sarah knew were angels. They had giant feathered wings folded against their backs, golden breastplates, belts, and helmets that revealed only their eyes through tiny slits. She did not see their faces, but their eyes burned with a Holy light. They were tan skinned, muscle-bound, and they wore white pants and golden calf-high boots. They had swords in their right hands and they seemed to be holding defensive postures. Her hair fluttered in her vision again, blocking her sight, and then the wind died. Her hair fell away from her face and she saw that the men that she had seen were gone…or just un-seen to her eyes.

Rayu took one step forward and ordered, "Release him now! In the name of Jesus!"

Asaki suddenly went still, but rigid as a board. The veins on his neck stood out, and his eyes were wide open. His red eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling, and then suddenly went limp. All the bonds that held him had been strained, but they held. Asaki's eyes fluttered shut, and Rayu gave a grim smile. "It has left…and it won't come back." He said.

He turned around and saw Tsunade, Iruka, and Shizune all on their feet. Each of their hands were on their kunai holsters, a wary expression on their faces. Rayu picked up in his conversation before he had been interrupted. "Before I go to destroy the Demon Village, I have to become stronger. I also have to have help. Four Ninja…need to be resurrected." He spoke softly, and the wind left completely.

Iruka stammered, "R-resurrected? Four people!?"

Rayu felt the peace leave him, and the living energy left his eyes. His gaze grew hard, determined, like steel. "Yes. Four ninja. Kai, Zennith, Draken, and my Jonin Leader Tannith. Each of them has to be resurrected to help me with my task."

A bead of sweat rolled down Tsunade's face. "How can you bring back four people…that have been dead for a month?"

Rayu's eyes remained as hard and cold as steel, but he allowed a small smile on his face. "It's not me, Tsunade. It was never my power…or Sarah's power. It was His power." He pointed up at the sky when he said 'His', and Tsunade realized he was talking about his all-powerful God.

She was about to fire back a retort, about to say that there was no way that a month-old-dead person could come back to life. However, the sound died in her throat. She only managed a nod, and Rayu locked gazes with her.

"I realize that you will have many more questions. However, Tsunade-sama, I have to leave immediately. I need your permission of course." He said this, not pushing her to see it his way, but a simple statement.

Tsunade could not speak at first, but something told her that she needed to let him go. "Rayu…these demons…how can you be sure that they plan us harm?" She managed to ask.

He locked gazes with her again, and she found that she couldn't look away from his eyes. He brought his right hand up, only his first finger extended and pointing at her and said, "This is how."

Suddenly, the world dropped away, and Tsunade was confronted by a vision. A vision of fire, pain, and horrible twisted figures. She saw her death, a death by the hands of a man shrouded in fire and shadow and a dark aura. She knew that this was the Lucifer that Rayu spoke of. She shook uncontrollably as she witnessed the death and destruction of every village and citizen. Suddenly it was gone, and she found herself back in the office, supported by Shizune and Iruka. Rayu stood before her, Anbu behind him with his sword at Rayu's throat. Rayu's hand was still extended, and pointing at her.

"W-What Genjutsu was that?" She stammered, feeling sick.

"That wasn't a Genjutsu. That was a vision granted to every Hikage, given to us by God, a vision of what will happen if we fail." He said.

"I don't think it _was_ a Genjutsu, Tsunade-sama. I felt no surges of Chakra…and I felt no attack. Just him raising his hand." Said the Anbu. He withdrew his sword from Rayu's neck and back off cautiously.

Sarah and Masashi were still at Asaki's side, but they looked ready to attack until the Anbu backed away from Rayu. Tsunade removed herself from Iruka and Shizune's grasp, and then supported herself by leaning heavily upon her desk. "So that was him? Lucifer?" She asked.

"Yes. He…he will destroy _everything_ if we fail. The world would be thrown into chaos and destruction, and everyone we care about will die. This is why I need to resurrect my friends. I will bring them back, and over the course of two years, we will train and grow stronger both individually and as a group. Over the course of the next two years, I will tell you anything you desire. But first I must resurrect my friends as soon as possible, because they have lain in the ground for far too long." His gaze became distant, looking out the window he had pointed out earlier.

Everyone was silent, contemplating how this could be possible. Only one God, when they were used to worshipping so many? How could this _one_ God be all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present? How could this entire thing be? Was Rayu crazy? Was he possessed? How could he resurrect four people who died a month ago? All these questions were running through everyone's minds.

Asaki stirred, slowly at first, and then his eyes snapped open. His green eyes were panicked and frightened, like an animal's. His pupils were tiny, fear and adrenaline rushing through his body. Sarah turned her attention back to Asaki, and Masashi cautiously held a Kunai at the ready. Rayu didn't even look at them as he said, "He's fine. Unbind him, but hold him still. In his panic, he might hurt himself."

The Anbu cautiously but quickly undid the bindings while Sarah held Asaki still. Asaki started to struggle at first, but Sarah whispered gently into his ear. No one but Asaki could make out the words, but they seemed to soothe him, and he stopped struggling. Rayu finally turned around, his eyes sharp yet concerned as he stared at Asaki.

Tsunade finally regained enough strength to walk away from her desk, and she walked around her desk and towards Asaki. Asaki's eyes were still wide and panicked, but Sarah and Masashi had backed off to give him room to stand. Asaki looked at Masashi and stammered, "I-I-I thought I killed you…"

Masashi shook his head, and knew what Asaki was going through. You remembered everything you tried to do, everything you did, but you were helpless against the possession. Masashi spoke, doing his best to keep his voice soothing. "You didn't. It wasn't you, anyway. It was a demon."

Asaki looked back and forth between Masashi and Sarah, and tears filled his eyes. "I…I almost killed you guys."

Tsunade stood in front of him, and then knelt so they were eye level. She said firmly, "Asaki Watanabi…it was _not_ you who tried to do it. You were possessed by a demon, just like Masashi was when he killed Rayu. _You are not responsible for your actions_."

Asaki nodded slightly, and closed his eyes, causing a tear to roll down his face. Rayu stepped towards Asaki, and spoke gently. "Asaki…it's good to have you back. I wanted to thank you for being there for Sarah over the past few days. You have my thanks, I'm in your debt for being there for her when I obviously couldn't. Thank you."

He extended his right hand, and Asaki looked at it but he didn't take it. Rayu waited patiently, until Asaki shook his head. "No…you don't owe me anything. _I_ owe _you_ for saving me from that nightmare. I owe you for keeping me from killing Sarah. If it hadn't been for you, she would have died." Tsunade stood and then backed up as Asaki stood from his chair, and then he turned to Sarah.

"I…I'm so sorry, Sarah. I couldn't stop it, and I almost killed you. I'm so sorry." He bowed his head, and Rayu saw a tear drop to the wooden floor. Rayu watched Sarah with interest as she gently lifted Asaki's head so that they were eye level.

She spoke softly, her gaze soft, forgiving, and full of compassion. "Asaki…you aren't to blame. These possessions hardly ever happen, but when they do, the host is suppressed easily. You fought it, and that's all that matters. You don't have to ask for forgiveness, because you didn't do anything wrong." However, as she said it, the memory of Asaki thrusting his Kunai at her face rushed up. She did her best to keep eye contact with Asaki, and managed not to show a reaction to the memory.

Asaki nodded, and he said, "So what now? You're just going to leave for a month or so, find your friends and then bring them back to life?" He asked with what sounded like scorn in his voice, and Rayu's gaze turned hard.

"Yes. I will be taking Sarah with me, if Tsunade-sama will allow us to go. I have to raise my friends, because I can't destroy the Demon Village without them. We have to grow stronger, relying on our individual strengths, as well as our team strengths. If we can't…then the entire world is doomed. They are priority right now, because if they aren't raised then the entire world's hope is gone." Rayu said, and he sighed. "I realize how fast this is going, Tsunade-sama. I apologize I can't go into more depth and give you every answer that you want. I'm not a master Storyteller nor am I a historian." He ran his right hand through his hair, showing his weariness. Just in the little time he was revived, his energy was massively depleted from being resealed. His knees buckled, and he grimaced in pain as his kneecaps impacted with the hard wooden floor.

His Chakra was massively depleted, his strength was waning from using his verbal Exorcism. It was a talent he had been taught, one that didn't use up that much energy. However, when the effects of the seals being re-applied, his body regenerating back into a living state after a few days of being dead, the Verbal Exorcism technique and his body needing to sleep to make its energy…he was drained. He needed to rest, so his body could properly regenerate and regain its life.

His vision blacked out for a second, and he found Tsunade, Sarah, Asaki, Masashi, and the Anbu all helping him to his feet. They all had worried looks on their faces, and Rayu blinked rapidly to keep his eyes from closing and sending him to sleep's embrace.

As soon as he was steadily on his feet, he shook his head rapidly and then spoke. "My body needs to regain use of its proper functions…and readjust to being alive after those days of being unused. Plus, my seal was reapplied to my body…" He trailed off, and Tsunade started in surprise.

"Reapplied?" She asked, and Rayu nodded. He swayed slightly, and Sarah quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and steadied him. He nodded his thanks and then gave Tsunade an answer.

"Yes. It was removed from Sarah and reapplied to my body. I didn't anticipate it actively removing itself, but I'm actually glad it did. Now, my Chakra is once again abnormally doubled. But, I'm not sure if even this amount of Chakra is going to help me that much…" He said, and everyone's eyes widened as they all realized the implications.

Tsunade's mouth moved, but no sound came at first. "Y-your chakra has been doubled?"

He nodded, smiled softly, and then asked wearily. "Tsunade-sama. Could I ask permission to recuperate? I need to rest myself somewhere before my body shuts down itself where I have no choice where I fall."

Tsunade nodded and said gruffly, "Very well, Rayu. Permission granted. However, as soon as you are rested, Masashi, Sarah, and you are all to come see me. We have to plan your trip to revive your squad."

Rayu's eyes suddenly flooded with tears, and he did his best not to cry in front of everyone. He bowed respectfully to Tsunade and Iruka, and choked out, "Madame Tsunade…thank you very much."

She smiled at him, and replied, "You're welcome. Sarah, Masashi, please help Rayu find a place to recuperate. As soon as you are all rested, report to me. Now, you're dismissed."

Rayu, Masashi, and Sarah walked out of the office, and they heard Tsunade order Asaki to recuperate as well and report to her when he felt sufficiently recovered from his ordeal. Asaki came out of the office behind them, silent and uncomfortable and started to walk with them as they walked back the way they had come.

Asaki followed behind Masashi and Sarah, and Rayu led them as they walked down hallways, down stairs, through more hallways, until they reached outside. The silence was uncomfortable, and Asaki felt like he needed to apologize again.

"Guys…I-" He was interrupted by Rayu, who seemed to know what he was going to do.

"Asaki. What's done is done, and we don't need to speak of it any more. It's called the past for a reason." He said, and Asaki nodded.

"Besides…we've already told you we don't believe it was you doing it. We all believe that it wasn't your fault. There's nothing for you to be sorry for." Sarah said, looking over her shoulder at him.

Asaki smiled his thanks in a soft smile, and Sarah returned the smile. Suddenly, Rayu pitched forward and fell down onto his hands and knees. Masashi immediately bent down to help him up, and Rayu murmured, "My body…is starting to force me to rest."

Sarah helped Masashi pull Rayu to his feet, and then they supported Rayu between them. "We can take you to my house, and then we can have your parents pick you up and take you home. We aren't that far, come on, we can make it."

Rayu nodded wearily, his eyes heavy and his steps becoming mere shuffles. "Yeah…that sounds good." He mumbled, and they walked in the direction of Sarah's house.

Asaki stopped and said, "Guys…I'll see you soon. Sarah, I'll call you tomorrow, yeah?"

She looked back, smiling, and replied, "Sure thing, Asaki. Don't disappoint!" She then continued to help Masashi support Rayu as Asaki walked off in the direction of his house.

It was silent for a while, before Masashi could work up the courage to ask the question weighing so heavily on his mind. "Rayu…is it true that you are going to raise them? All of them?" He was talking about his brother, his friends, and his teacher but he didn't want to say their names. He was afraid to be disappointed…afraid that nothing would happen.

Rayu nodded, and spoke softly. "Masashi…I understand how hard it can be to believe that it is true. Even I'm still unsure to some degree, seeing as I'm just a vessel to house power I don't even know how to channel. However, it won't be me. I just have to ask God, and trust that He'll do as He said He would and raise them. Have faith in Him and believe that it will happen…and it will."

Masashi nodded, partly satisfied, and they continued to walk in silence. However, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence as much as a ponderous silence. Sarah and Masashi were both thinking of the teammates who were going to be brought back.

For Sarah, it meant four new friends, four new people to share life with. It would be work and fun, especially with Zennith and Draken. She loved to laugh, and she had no doubt that she would laugh at and with them a lot.

However, for Masashi…it meant the revival of his comrades, his friends, his brothers. The revival of those most important to him. The revival of his own self, because a part of him _had_ died when he had seen the graves. He would be made whole again, and he would have his brother back again. Silent tears streamed down his face as he thought about this, and Rayu squeezed his shoulder to show his sympathy as well.

For Rayu, it meant the same as Masashi. To him, all of the boys were his brothers, and his instructor was like his father. Tannith would lay down his life for any of them, and though he was childless, he had told them they had all been like sons to him. Rayu had a soft smile as he realized he had three men he considered fathers. His birth father Kenshin, the man who raised him: Tanaka, and his Leader: Tannith.

"Rayu…how will you be able to resurrect your friends? I mean, seriously, they don't have any seals or anything to purge. Did you learn some kind of new technique?" Sarah asked, and Rayu looked at her.

"No. I haven't learned any new technique to do that. I have no possible way to resurrect them…other than to pray. It was said by Jesus, 'Ask and you shall receive. However, if you do not receive it is because you ask wrongly.' In other words, if I ask for something that needs to be…not just something I _want_ but something I _need_…it will be given. That's all I have to go on." He said, and then looked ahead. No more than twenty yards away was Sarah's apartment complex.

They walked for ten feet or so in silence before Sarah said softly, "No…prayer isn't all you have. It's not your only weapon for this situation. You have faith too."

Rayu grinned and nodded. One of their earliest teachings said that the two most powerful weapons weren't physical attacks, but prayer and faith. With faith, anything was possible.

Suddenly, the dark that he had been fighting overtook him. He felt his body go completely limp, and his sight went dark. He heard echoes of his two friend's voices, and he couldn't make out what they were saying. His mind was filled with a strange buzzing sound, and more voices intertwined with Sarah and Masashi's. He spoke, struggling to move his mouth muscles.

"I…I…just…need…rest." He managed to get out, and then, he knew no more.

I hope that was a suitable ending for this chapter, and I hope you guys still like my story. I want to thank Hyuuga Hotness for the reviews. You gave me a new fire to keep writing.

I realize that this includes aspects of Christianity, a religion not very many people are fond of, but that is the purpose of the story. So, now that the origins are developed, the next chapter will be the preparation and journey to find and bring back Rayu's friends.

This story is almost completed! Well, this segment. I will be ending at around chapters 30 or 40, and have a time skip two years into the future. With it will be the new series: _**"Naruto Shippuuden: End Revelations"**_

The new series will pick up two and a half years into the future, just like Naruto Shippuuden, hence the first section of the title. Rayu and company are going to be older, stronger, and _hopefully_ more mature.  So, anyway. Please review and let me know what you think, if you dislike the series, if you love the series, etc. let me know your thoughts.


	21. Chapter 21: Duty and Destiny

Okay! Here is yet another chapter! Thanks for reading so far, and I hope you guys can put up with my tardiness yet again! But, thanks again for waiting patiently. I've been doing a lot of research into the Shippuuden Timeline lately so that the second portion of this fiction, the _**"Naruto Shippuuden: End Revelations"**_. So, sorry this has been so late. I've been watching Shippuuden Anime Episodes at  , and I suggest that you do so as well if you are really into Naruto and can't wait for it to come out in America.

Naruto: Revelations of the Secret Village

Chapter 21: Duty and Destiny

"_Rayu…you have become just as strong as us now, and with the two years you have to practice everything you will be even stronger than us. We are all proud of you, but we are saddened at the same time. You see…you will be the last of the Hikage's." Kenshin said, his face calm and composed. His eyes were sad, though._

"_What do you mean? Wouldn't my son become Hikage?" Rayu asked. He was sitting next to his father, and sitting in the circle of his ancestors. He was waiting for Sarah to come and give the signal that she was ready to start the process._

"_Technically, yes. But…the Light Village is no more and the need for it will be gone in two years. You will have fulfilled the Light Village's Mission, and…" Kenshin stopped, and turned his head away. Before he was able to hide his features, Rayu saw utter sadness._

"_Father…what's wrong?" Rayu asked. He put his left hand on his father's right shoulder. Rayu's Grandfather, Rayu, was sitting to Rayu's right and he spoke._

"_Rayu…there was a prophecy made during Ryu's reign as Hikage. Since he was there in person, I'll let him tell you." Rayu said, and motioned towards Ryu who was sitting on Kenshin's left._

_Ryu, his Great-great-great Grandfather, bowed his head slightly. His face was straight, composed like Kenshin's had been, but his eyes were sad as well. His voice was gentle, like the breeze that was blowing around them, and his shoulder-length grayish hair drifted gently in the wind. "Rayu…this prophecy is a good prophecy, but it is one that has a sad ending. You see, this prophecy came to me the day before I died._

"_Rayu…It said that my great-great-great grandchild would fulfill our mission. It said that with five warrior friends, you will bring an end to the threat imposed by the Demon Village. It told me of something that I regret telling you, but you have to know. You will not survive the attack on the Demon Village. Neither will one of your friends. You two will die, and the other four people will live out the rest of their lives remembering you. My vision told me that you will have a child…but you will not get to see him grow up. He will never know his father…" He paused, combating emotions. Rayu realized what he had just been told, and looked down at the green grass. He was sitting cross-legged, and he picked at the patch of grass that was between his legs._

"_You will surpass any power on this earth, and your child will inherit your power. Rayu…I'm sorry, but your child will never know you. Sarah will raise him." Ryu said._

_Rayu felt despair rise up in him, and he began to shake. "I…I won't get to see my son grow up? Sarah will become a widow? Me and one of my friends will die?" He asked softly, his voice disbelieving._

"_No. No. No!" Rayu jumped to his feet, and roared out his anger. How could his destiny be decided for him, a bleak and sad destiny? One where he leaves behind all he loves, and dies. One where he loses life's greatest joys._

_All the ancestors stood, and Kenshin looked at his son. Everyone had tears in their eyes, though Rayu's tears were the only angry tears. The elder Rayu spoke, choking up. "Rayu…I know the pain. I never…I never saw Kenshin grow up except for when I was inside the seal watching his actions. I know the pain, and I understand your anger. But…it's your duty."_

_Rayu turned to his Grandfather and glared. "Don't talk to me about duty! I'm a Chunin to Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves! I've led countless missions, had people rely on me with their lives, and I know what duties are!" His anger was starting to build, his disbelief of the whole situation rising up to voice itself._

"_Rayu…please. Think about what you're saying. You may be a Chunin, but you are also a Hikage. You are the leader of the Hidden Light Village. If you do not die, your child will die. If you do not die, everything you know will die. Sarah, Masashi, Draken, Kai, Zennith, everyone. Nothing will survive. I know how hard it is to hear this and know your fate…but please." Kenshin pleaded, tears running freely down his face._

_Rayu's anger died suddenly, snuffed out as he realized that what his father said was true. If he didn't sacrifice himself, he would die eventually. But, Sarah and his child would die, as well as everything he held dear. He bowed his head, and slumped his shoulders. He…had no choice. He would die so that others could live. It was his fate._

_His father walked up to him, hugged him, and whispered something into his ear. "Rayu…this is the tragic path that we have all walked. It is the path of the Hikage. It's not much of a promotion present, is it? But…we can help you as much as possible. The more Jutsu you know, the more damage you will be able to dish out and the more chances you'll have to save innocent lives. We will give you everything we know in Jutsu. All our Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu skills will be made yours. We will teach you even our knowledge of the Forbidden Jutsu and skills that you might have to use as a last resort. I'm sorry that we can't give you more."_

_Rayu and Kenshin separated, and he saw everyone standing in front of him with their eyes closed and their first fingers of their right hands on their temples. They all walked up to him and transplanted their memories, one by one, until he was reeling from the knowledge. He had memories of thousands of Jutsu being performed, and his brain was reeling._

"_Son…I'm sorry. This is the destiny of a Hikage. Congratulations." Kenshin said, and Rayu wearily stumbled over to the clear pond. The Ancestors all left him there, letting him reflect upon everything he just learned. One thought echoed strangely in his head, and it wouldn't go away. _'I am Hikage.'

(_End Flashback_)

"_I am Hikage_." He whispered, coming out of his much needed slumber. He wasn't groggy at all, so he guessed that he had slept for a few days. His hands were clasped behind his head in a relaxed pose, and he was lying on his back. He opened his blue eyes, and realized that he was back in his room…back on the farm. He smiled, and realized that once again he was only in his boxers, and this was the second time he had collapsed and found himself waking up in his room.

The white covers that covered his body were bright and they smelled like the fresh spring scent detergent his mother loved. He judged that from the position of the light coming through the window above his head that it was past noon. Probably around four o'clock. Or as his belly was saying, 'way past lunch time'.

He sprang out of bed, flinging back the covers and landing easily on the balls of his heels. He went to the closet, grabbed his clothes and accessories, and then walked to his bedroom door. He held all his stuff in his right arm, and then opened his door with his left hand. He was surprised to see Sarah standing there, delicately balancing a tray with her left hand while reaching for his doorknob with her right hand.

She gasped, and the tray fell from her right hand. Without really thinking, he activated the time slowing portion of his seal, and leisurely retrieved the tray as it floated towards the ground. He replaced the tray into her hand, and then deactivated his seal.

Sarah blinked, and then smiled as she realized what had happened. "Rayu! Your mother said that you would be waking up today, whether you wanted to or not. She told me if you weren't up, then to get her so she could wake you up and make you eat lunch."

He smiled back, and then made a face as he caught a whiff of his body odor. "Wow…how long was I out?" He asked, and Sarah giggled as she realized that he had smelled himself.

"Hehehe, you've been asleep for a week straight. Somehow, your body hasn't needed any nourishment or water for the past week…" Sarah said, and Rayu thought about it.

"I don't know…I had dreams of the glade and talking to my father and my ancestors and I would drink from the pond every once in a while. Maybe somehow it carried over." He mused, and Sarah shrugged.

"Well, either way, I need to take a shower before I do anything else at all. Man, I am rank…" He said, and Sarah nodded.

"Okay. I'll tell our parents you're up and I'll set your tray in the kitchen." She said, and turned away.

"Wait." He said, and she turned back to him. "_Our_ parents?"

She nodded and replied, "Yeah, mom and dad kinda wanted to come over and check up on you. I've been here for the past three days with them."

Rayu nodded and smiled softly. "Thanks, Sarah."

She smiled back and then walked away as she said, "No problem. Hurry up so you can eat before your food gets cold!"

Rayu grinned and walked out of his room and to the bathroom, still in his boxers. He shut the door behind him, and quickly dropped his clothes and started his shower. He undressed, and stepped into the smoky-glass stall.

The hot water immediately started to wash away the felling and smell of uncleanliness, and he grinned as the water splashed on his bare flesh. He got his hair wet and then started to wash his hair and body with soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

He took care to wash himself and scrub himself very thoroughly, desperately wanting to get rid of his body's stench. The heat relaxed his muscles, and as he cleaned his body, he felt the thin but raised lines that indicated his scars across his chest and back. They were not too noticeable to the touch, but it still made his mind flash back to when he received the scars.

One thought flashed through his mind. '_The Demons…_' That thought made him clench his jaw in anger, and it tensed his entire body. His muscles became tensed and tight like a spring being wound too tight, and his anger coursed as he thought of his dead friends.

He cleaned and thought for near twenty minutes before he got out of the shower and quickly got ready. His muscles were still tight, but he tried to put on a cheerier attitude. He should at least try to act happy to be alive.

As he finished getting dressed, the only thing he lacked was his shoes and his Ninja Headband. He even put on his fingerless black gloves. He opened the bathroom door and strode out of the bathroom, shutting off the light behind him and depositing his dirty clothes in the hamper just inside the bathroom.

He walked out into the living room, and noticed that everyone was already there waiting for him. They all smiled and stood, and his mother ran over to him and embraced him. He hugged her back, and she began to sob. "When we heard you were in the hospital…we came as soon as we could. Then when we found out you died…" She did not continue what she was saying, she just sobbed even harder, holding him tightly.

He felt tears rise up in his eyes, and he quickly brushed them away. He held her back for a second, and looked down at her. "Mom…I'm fine. I know that sounds so careless to say when you guys went through me being dead, but nothing will ever harm me again. I can guarantee that."

She nodded, bit her lower lip, and then hugged him again. He smiled and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the embrace, and he was surprised to find his father joining in on the hug. His father whispered into his ear, "Rayu…I know I haven't said this very much before, if at all, but…I'm proud of you. Everything you have done, who and what you've grown up into, I'm proud of it all. You may not be our biological son, but to me you are my son."

Rayu smiled in joy and whispered, "You guys _are_ my parents, and nothing can change that. I love you both."

They all broke from the embrace, and Rayu's mother wiped the tears from her eyes and laughed while addressing Tom and Karen and Sarah. "I'm sorry. Rayu, dear, go on and get your breakfast and then join us out here."

Rayu nodded and made his way to the kitchen, watching Tom, Karen, and Sarah out of the corner or his eye. Sarah seemed to be nervous, and Tom and Kate both seemed a little awkward. Rayu quickly ate in the kitchen, eating all of his food within five minutes.

As soon as his appetite was sated, he cleaned up his dishes and then walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Tom and Karen stood, and he walked over and shook their hands. They both seemed to be uncomfortable, shaking the hand of a boy they both knew had died. Rayu smiled and said, "You know…it's perfectly normal to not believe in people being raised from the dead." He chuckled, and tried to defuse the strange tension in the room.

Tom smiled, but Karen kept a straight face. "What's done is done, and I don't hold any grudges for you guys not believing that I'd come back to life. I hardly believed it at the time." Rayu said, and then turned to Sarah.

She was no longer dressed in just shorts and a tank top, like the last time he had seen her, but just blue jeans and a white shirt. Her Ninja Headband was tied at the top of her head as usual, and she wore white tennis shoes instead of her ninja sandal boots. "Sarah. Thanks for everything." He said, and then he hugged her.

They held each other tight, and they each planted a quick cheek-peck kiss on each other. They then separated, and Rayu walked over to his parents. "I hate to do this, but can I talk to you and dad in private real quick? This is important." He asked, addressing his mom.

She nodded, excused herself and her husband, and the three of them walked outside onto the back porch. As Rayu shut the door behind them, they both waited for him to speak. "Mom, Dad…I will be going back into 'action' soon. I think I'll recuperate for another day, and then I have to go report to Lady Tsunade. Then…I'll be leaving to resurrect my dead squad-mates. Then I'll come back. However, tomorrow is what I'm speaking about right now. I want your blessings to ask Sarah to marry me."

His parents exchanged a shocked look, and his mother asked, "Aren't you moving a little…fast?"

Rayu nodded. "Yes I am. I realized that life is too short to waste, especially while I was 'dead'. I don't want to wait to be married to her. We are both financially stable, we receive enough money to take care of any needs we would have. We could buy a house, pay the bills, be well fed, and still have plenty to send to you guys if you have a hard harvest. And, even though it seems to you guys like Sarah and I have known each other for a short time, we've gotten to know each other very well. I have no doubt that this is what I'm supposed to do."

His mother and father looked at each other, and then exchanged a few whispers. "Rayu…you have both of our blessings. Are you going to ask her parents?" His father asked.

Rayu nodded. "Can you guys distract Sarah? Maybe ask her if she wants to see your garden, mom?"

Her mother nodded, smiling. "Absolutely. I've wanted to show it to her for some time now, anyway."

Rayu then followed his mother and father indoors and waited while his mother extended the invitation to Sarah. Sarah gladly accepted, and then walked outside with his parents, leaving Rayu alone with Tom and Karen. He walked over and stood in front of them as they sat on the couch, a questioning look on their faces.

"Mr. Tom, Mrs. Karen, I need to talk to you." He said, and the adults exchanged puzzled glances.

"Okay." Was all Tom said, and Rayu continued.

"I realize that this may seem to be happening fast, but after the recent developments, I've decided that this is what I want. You see, I love your daughter with all my heart, and I would like your permission to marry her. If you give your permission, tomorrow I will be proposing to her." He said, and he nervously crossed his fingers. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he nervously waited for any sign of reaction.

"So, how committed are you to her?" Tom asked.

"I will give my life for her, and I will always put her first. No matter what." He said, and he shifted slightly.

Karen spoke next. "Rayu…we were married at a young age, so we know the problems that can arise from being married so young and especially the dangers of being a ninja. Do you understand that marriage isn't easy? Marriage is-"

"Hard work. I know. It's not perfect, and it's not something that should be taken lightly. I expect arguments and hard times, because that's what happens when two people live and grow together. I won't back out, and I won't let anything come between Sarah and me. It's work that I'll gladly do, and I won't give up on it." Rayu said, interrupting her. He didn't like interrupting, but he had had this talk with his father Kenshin earlier.

Karen nodded, and Tom asked, "Rayu…we know that the paycheck of a Ninja is rather large, and that you can support her. But…what would happen if you died on a mission? There's always that risk for a Ninja. I've heard that most ninja don't marry because the fact that there is always the chance of them dying."

Rayu nodded. "I…I know that. But, you see, I know for a fact that I won't die…for at least two years. You see, there was a prophecy made years ago. About me. I won't die…until I attack the Demon Village. I will die, but Sarah and my child will live."

Tom and Karen exchanged shocked looks. "What?"

Rayu bowed his head. "You see, it's the destiny of a Hikage. We were always meant to destroy the Demon Village. Unfortunately, for me, it has to be me who destroys it. I will die, but my sacrifice will save the world. It will save Sarah…and my son."

Tom asked quietly, "So you know for a fact that no matter what you and Sarah will marry and have a child? It's certain that you will die in destroying this Demon Village Sarah told Karen and I about the other day?"

Rayu nodded. "Yes. At first, I didn't want to carry through with Marrying Sarah once I found out I was going to die, because I didn't want to put her through the hurt of losing me. But, I know that not marrying her would hurt her more. At least we would have two years together…"

Tom and Karen were silent, and Karen spoke. "So, even if we say no, you would marry her?"

Rayu looked at them with an apologetic look on his face. "Yes. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but our marriage was arranged long before you two had any say in her life. If necessary, I would go against your disapproval and marry her."

Tom nodded, and smiled, but Karen kept a passive face. "Very well. You have my blessing." Tom said. He looked at Karen, and Karen smiled as well.

"I'm glad that Sarah will have someone like you in her life, no matter how brief. As long as she's happy." Karen said, and Rayu smiled.

"Thank you. Thank you very much." Rayu said, and he bowed respectfully.

They laughed softly and stood and embraced him, because none of them had a doubt in their mind about what Sarah would answer when Rayu 'popped the question'.

Sarah walked in with Rayu's parents at that moment, and Sarah gave him a questioning look. He just shrugged as he disentangled himself from the embrace, and laughed some more.

Rayu and Sarah were both walking down a scenic street, holding hands, the next afternoon. Rayu had everything planned out for today. He had withdrawn enough money for a beautiful ring and last night he had bought one and he had it stashed in his pocket right at the moment. He had planned a picnic under a park that had Cherry blossom trees, and he planned a whole evening of relaxation, and eventually where and when he would ask Sarah to marry him.

For once, Rayu wasn't wearing his ninja clothing or shoes or headband. He wasn't even wearing his fingerless gloves. He was wearing dark blue jeans with fade marks on the legs and knees, and a tight maroon tee shirt. He was wearing a pair of white and black tennis shoes that had never been worn before, and he was wearing a watch on his right wrist. His right hand was occupied by Sarah's left hand, and in his left hand he was holding the wicker picnic basket.

"So…why are we having a picnic?" Sarah asked, swinging her and Rayu's arm.

Rayu looked at her, a smile playing on his lips. It was a playful smile, and he answered truthfully. "Well, I figured that we needed a day to relax, especially after what we've been through and what we're about to go through." His words were double layered, and he knew she wouldn't really catch his double meaning. He meant what they had been through in their relationship and what they would be going through, just as much as the physical situations they had been going through and were going to go through.

"Well, thank you. It's nice just to relax and forget about everything. Forget about the fate of the world and the demons." She said, and sighed as she watched a few Cherry blossoms drift across their path.

As if on cue, all the scars inflicted on Rayu's chest and back burned slightly. Not as fierce as his seal, but just a reminder.

(_FLASHBACK_)

"_Dad…what do you mean?" Rayu asked, and subconsciously ran his hand across his chest scars that were revealed._

_His father glanced at the scars again, and repeated himself. "You're sensitive to demonic presences. Your scars, because they were inflicted by a Demon, serve like a kind of sensor. When a demonic presence is around, they will burn slightly. I don't know the range, but usually it's only if it's in the immediate vicinity."_

"_Why would they burn? They didn't use any special tools on me, just a kunai." Rayu said, and his father nodded._

"_True, but the Kunai could have been, and most likely was, coated with a substance that they like to use. It serves in a torture to create more pain because the wounds will burn when the demons are near or inflicting them. But, since your scars are healed, they won't burn as much." This time it was Kyle Tazamaki, his Great-great Grandpa who had a blond afro._

_Rayu scratched his head, thinking carefully about his torture, and realized that Kyle was right. His wounds had hurt more than a wound inflicted by an ordinary kunai would have. "Okay, so what am I supposed to do if my scars burn?" He asked._

_Kenshin spoke to Rayu, a dangerous glint lighting in his eyes. "You kill whatever it is. But if you do not crave combat, erect a barrier around yourself to protect you from any attacks. However, though the scar usually only burns when one of the demons who inflicted the wound is around, it could be any kind of demon who possess' a poisoned weapon. Be on your toes, and if you get a sense the demon is a middle ranked demon…you run."_

"_Middle ranked demon? You mean the ones we call 'Grunts'?" Rayu asked._

"_Yes. They are some of the heaviest attackers you will ever meet. The High Class Demons resort only on their demonic summoning powers and their dark techniques. The Grunts like to tussle. They only use the Grunts to take out people who present a problem to them at the moment. So be careful. Mid-to-long distance fighting is the key. Your seal will protect you from most physical damage, but you'll still get hurt." Kenshin said, patting his son's shoulder._

(_End Flashback_)

Rayu casually glanced around, and then nodded. "Yeah, it's nice to not have to worry."

He then casually removed his hand from hers, stretched his arms, and quickly performed four one-handed seals. _Tiger, Bird, Horse, Snake._ He thought, in coordination with his hand movements. He then hugged Sarah, because the barrier he was erecting required you to touch the person you were erecting it around. He would be fine in the event of an attack because his seal would kick in, but Sarah would be at a disadvantage.

_Candle Flame Barrier_, He thought, activating the Jutsu. The Candle Flame Barrier technique would burn the attacker slightly and if it was a demon, it would blind the demon temporarily.

"Mmm. Huggy today, aren't we?" Sarah asked teasingly.

Rayu grinned and nodded. "How can I not be. It feels like it's been forever already since I've hugged you."

He then resumed holding Sarah's hand, and she smiled at him. As they continued to walk to one of the parks that had Cherry Blossom trees, the burning lessened. However, four minutes later, the small burning remained, which to Rayu seemed to mean that he was being tailed. He gritted his teeth, and he quickly threw any idea of a peaceful evening out the window. He would have to escalate his actions and propose.

"Sarah…I've been thinking. When I can eventually get a ring, when would you want to get married." He asked.

She looked at him, surprised. "I don't mind when, though I kind of wish it could be before the Cherry Blossom trees lose all their blossoms. I want to have a wedding under the falling blossoms."

He nodded, smiling. "That would be great. It sounds beautiful."

She smiled back, and they walked into the park. The green grass was lush and well trimmed, and the park was empty right now. Not very many people were in the park yet, so Rayu had the chance to get things done in a personal manner.

They found a place right beneath a Cherry Blossom tree, and Rayu pulled a red and white checkered picnic blanket out of the basket. He then spread it on the ground, put the basket down, and then sat down on it with Sarah.

"You know…when we're officially engaged, I think it would be more proper then to talk about wedding plans and whatnot, right?" He asked, and Sarah nodded.

"I guess, though early planning doesn't hurt." She replied.

Rayu unpacked the Picnic basket and quickly made each of them a meal that consisted of two ham and cheese sandwiches, a bit of grapes, some chips, and a piece of cherry pie that his mother made. They ate while they talked, taking well over thirty minutes.

Rayu and Sarah started talking about wedding plans, and they talked about the trip they would take tomorrow. But, Rayu kept bringing it back to the wedding. He wanted to ease her into the question, but he was nervous like nothing else. And, on top of that, the scars were burning a bit more which meant the demon was drawing closer.

"Sarah…" He stood, brushed off the crumbs on his clothes, and then knelt in front of her on one knee.

Her eyes grew wide, and a faint smile played on her soft pink lips. He pulled out the blue velvet box from his pocket, and continued. "I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're everything I want and need, and I love you with all of my body, mind and soul. So…Sarah Kasairoze, will you do me the greatest honor, and marry me?" He asked presenting the box, and showing her the ring.

The ring was a 24 Karat gold ring that had what looked like a vine etched around the outside, and for the diamond, there was a hand-crafted rose made from a ruby. It wasn't too showy or gaudy, but something about the rose made Sarah stifle a gasp. The way the sunlight hit it, made the rose seem as if it was glowing from the inside.

She tried to speak, but she just couldn't. She put her hand over her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes. She had partially expected it to happen soon, and him talking about the wedding so much seemed strange, but she was still surprised. He stayed there, a soft smile on his face, staring into her eyes. She smiled and wiped away the tears that were welling up.

"Yes! Yes…I will…marry you." She said, and he slipped the ring onto her ring-finger. She then leaned in and hugged him, and they laughed together, both happier than they could ever have been before.

They stayed embracing for a few moments, before Rayu felt discomfort from his scars increasing in their burning. He kissed Sarah on the cheek, and she kissed him back. "Rayu…" She started to say, but she trailed off when she saw a man walking towards them.

Rayu turned, expecting the demon-possessed man. His scars increased their burning as the man stopped ten feet from them. Rayu's body stiffened, and he carefully pushed Sarah behind him. She complied, and he stood again. This man who stood before them was wearing a headband, a Grass Village headband. He was a tan skinned, smiling man with bleach blond hair that was spiked. He wore black loose-fitting pants, and then a green tunic top shirt. He had brown forearm bands, and he had a black kunai holster on his right thigh. Instead of wearing ninja sandal boots, he was wearing black combat boots.

Rayu didn't know how the demon could possess the man and not have red pupils, but this man's pupils were pure black, surrounded by an ice blue iris. Rayu tried to act like he didn't know that the man was somehow possessed, and did his best to be polite. "Yes? Can I help you, sir?" He asked, keeping a humble posture, and keeping his hands at his sides in a non-threatening manner.

The man smiled wide, revealing perfect teeth. "Sure. I'm an emissary from the Village Hidden in the Grass. I'm looking for the Hokage's office. I seem to have gotten lost. Could you point me in the right direction?"

Rayu nodded, and walked over to the man. He walked a bit past him, exposing his back, and pointed in a northerly direction. "It's the tallest tower structure over there about a mile."

Rayu was watching the man with his peripheral vision, and the man grinned almost sinisterly. "Thank you." He said, and darted immediately towards Sarah. Rayu spun around and watched as Sarah hastily stood, and prepared to defend against the man.

However, as the man pulled out a kunai from his holster and thrust it at Sarah, there was a brief flash of light and the man went flying back. The Candle Flame Barrier had worked. He landed at Rayu's feet, and groaned, holding his hands over his eyes.

"RAYU! What happened?" Sarah asked. She had worn simple blue jean shorts and a red tee shirt, but had still had her kunai holster on her thigh. She drew a kunai and warily advanced as the man tried to stand. However, Rayu quickly knocked the man's legs out from under him with a simple kick and the man fell.

Rayu looked at Sarah and quickly explained. "I knew a demon was following us, so I erected a temporary single-hit barrier around you. It was when I hugged you. I was hoping he would go away…but no such luck. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but the element of surprise is what we needed."

Sarah nodded, obviously still keeping an eye on the guy who gave up on trying to stand. He just laid there, waiting for his eyesight to return. "How do you know he's a demon? I didn't see any red pupil's." She asked, and slowly went around the guy and stood by Rayu's side.

"The wounds that were inflicted on me by the demons were done with a special blade. This guy is carrying one of those blades, and now my scars are sensitive to that kind of demonic blade presence. They start to burn when one is around." He said.

The man on the ground chuckled. He spoke in a normal voice, but there was something definitely sinister about it. "Well, we didn't expect that. But, that's something we can easily remedy. You got us this time…but do you think that the Candle Flame Barrier effects will last that long on me? You don't even know what I am!"

Rayu crossed his arms over his chest and replied. "If I had to guess, you're a middle class Demon known as a Grunt. Your specialty is brawling and physical attacks. Your weaknesses are Genjutsu and long distance combat. Your secret ability is regeneration, but I can beat past that with rapid fire Jutsu attacks. You're nothing special when you go against the Hikage."

The man was silent, and then quietly said, "I see. So your ancestors imparted their knowledge within you?"

Rayu smiled, and said, "Yes. Five Hikage's worth of information, added with my own. Now…tell me your purpose or I'll have Sarah use the Divine Separation and then I'll kill you."

"I was just trying to get to you by holding her hostage. Almost everyone knows now who you are and that our attempt to kill you failed. You won't have a moment's rest you know…" He said, and Rayu understood what he was talking about. He was hinting in his own arrogant nature that his vision was returning. He was talking about when he attacked, he wouldn't let up.

Rayu turned to Sarah. "Sarah, please use the Divine Separation. I'm not sure how well it'll work against a Grunt, but I'd rather try to kill the Demon over killing the host."

Sarah nodded, and was about to initiate her attack when the Grunt jumped to his feet and punched at her. Rayu immediately jumped in front of the punch, rolling with it so that it would hardly hit him. He flew back, spinning. He quickly grabbed Sarah with him so they both flew backwards, spinning through the air, and they crashed to a stop twenty yards away. Rayu was on his back, holding Sarah to his chest, absorbing the impact.

Rayu quickly rose, carrying Sarah with him, and then addressed the man. The man was standing in an arrogant posture, hands on his hips with a defiant grin on his face. "So, you are a Grunt. Possessors are strong, I'll give them that, but you pulled your punch and you still sent us flying. Your regeneration took care of the Candle Flame Barrier effects faster than I anticipated, but now you have no advantage."

The Grunt, or rather the man possessed by the Grunt, cracked his knuckles and chuckled. "I'm tougher than you give me credit for."

Rayu shook his head, let go of Sarah, dusted himself off, and then replied. "No. You're weaker than you think. Remember? I have Five Generations of Hikage's knowledge. And…I'm fast." He said, and with that last word, he charged.

The Grunt shook his head. This boy was either stupid, reckless, or he had a plan. It was most likely the previous two, though.

_I've got to keep Sarah out of the fight. She's strong…but she's no match for a Grunt yet. I hate to do this to her, but…I'm stronger in physical combat thanks to the Swift Fist, and she could get hurt. _Rayu thought, and quickly activated every section of his seal. Time slowed, his protection increased, and he could see the moves the Grunt were going to make before he actually did.

He was on top of the Grunt in less than a second, forming his hand into a knife-like shape. "Swift Fist Cannon!" He yelled, and he quickly attacked.

He thrust his right hand's flat palm and hit the man's right shoulder, dislocating it, thrust his left hand and dislocated the man's left shoulder, and then punched the man in the gut. Then, for the final attack, Rayu didn't bother forming his hand into a knife, but just used his palm thrust and hit the man on the forehead, causing him to go flying backwards.

Rayu heard a snapping sound as the man's head whipped backwards and he slowly began to float backwards through the air. Rayu then quickly flew through a 14 seal Jutsu, and yelled, "Light Style: Dual Energy Blade Jutsu!"

The Grunt was no more than five feet away from Rayu, which left Rayu with plenty of time to form his swords. He extended both of his hands to the sky, and focused on drawing energy from Solar Power. He closed his eyes, and pictured him molding the swords out of the sunlight, and within a few moments he felt his hands grow warm. He then opened his eyes and saw two shining energy bars in his hands that resembled Katana's. This Jutsu was a unique Jutsu made by his father.

He rushed at the Grunt, slashing both swords and inflicting deep gashes that even the Grunt's regeneration would have trouble with. He continued to cut the Grunt even as he was in the air, cutting every possible inch. Then, to permanently cut off all demonic powers and to keep the demon still so Sarah could perform the divine Separation, Rayu flew through a 55 seal jutsu.

The Grunt crashed into the ground in slow motion, and Rayu initiated his Jutsu. "Ninja's Art: Lock-In Prison Barrier Jutsu!" He yelled, and immediately fired a small ball of purple energy from his palm. The Ball of energy hit the Grunt, and suddenly grew to become a purple orb that was similar to the Water Prison Jutsu. It kept the person immobile, floating in the air in the middle of the orb, due to compressed energy.

Rayu was pleased to notice as he deactivated his seal, that the high-level Jutsu barely used up any Chakra thanks to his massive supply. Sarah ran up to him as he started to talk loudly and explain the barrier to the Grunt, whose cuts and gashes were slowly starting to heal. "This barrier is made from pure energy. If somehow you were able to touch the surface, you would burst into flame and die, so I wouldn't recommend it. It keeps you mostly immobile and it also completely cuts off your demonic powers. It's a Jutsu made by Ryu Tazamaki."

"Rayu!" Sarah yelled. The whole attack, in real time, had taken less than four seconds. Rayu looked at her and gave a small smile. "Would you perform the Divine Separation on him? The barrier only harms those within the orb, not outside of the orb."

She walked over, nodding. "Yes…but what are you going to do with the Grunt? They're much more dangerous in their real form."

Rayu nodded. "Yeah, but he'll be dazed for a moment, and that moment is all I need for the Rei Blast to work."

Sarah nodded back. "Okay. Do it fast."

Rayu started to perform his hand symbols, and watched as Sarah performed hers. He went slowly with his symbols, seeing as he didn't need that much time to destroy the Grunt. _Ram, Boar, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Ram, Dragon!_

Sarah's hands flew through her own combination,_ Bird, Ram, Dog, Dragon, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Rat, Tiger, Hare, Horse, Tiger, Ox, Boar, and Bird. _She went through the names as her hands made the symbols, her hands nothing more than a blur until she ended on the Bird sign. She felt her Chakra build up, and then release into an external attack.

She yelled, "Divine Separation: Release of the 8 Anchors!" Her eyes flew open, revealing golden irises instead of her natural blue. Her hands glowed with golden energy, and the possessed man flinched visibly. Her golden eyes saw through the physical flesh and saw a disgusting sight.

The demon, the Grunt, looked like a muscle-bound man with pig-like face. However, he bared his teeth at her and revealed pointed teeth. Sarah flinched, earning a slight grin from the demon. The demon had spider-like arms that extended out of his back and stabbed into the 8 anchor-points in the host. Sarah quickly darted forward, reaching through the purple barrier without harm. She struck out with her glowing hands and struck each point at least twice before the demon released its hold. She grabbed it and threw it away from his host who was still held within the floating sphere, and withdrew it from the bubble. Since it was a spirit, the bubble did it no harm.

Sarah pulled him into the middle of the Heavenly Diagram, and immediately formed the second portion of the Jutsu. _Dog, Hare, Monkey, Ram, Dragon, Boar, and Tiger!_ She thought, and her hands responded accordingly.

She yelled her attack as her Chakra was discharged again. "Divine Separation: Seal of Mortality!"

She opened her eyes, which were still golden, and she bent down where she was. She was at the edge of the circle, and she put her right hand flat down onto one of the symbols at the end of one of the seven points. She grabbed at it, and pulled it straight from the diagram. It glowed in her hand, and she ran forward. She roughly slammed it onto the pig-like demon's forehead, and then grabbed the remaining symbols one at a time and made a vertical line of glowing symbols down the Demon's front. The Heavenly seal shrunk into nothingness and the Demon gave a squeal of pain as he was transferred to the physical realm.

Rayu yelled, "Sarah, move!"

Sarah became slightly disoriented, and realized that she was in the way of Rayu's blast. She jumped into the air and landed behind him, and Rayu released his Jutsu. He extended his palms, and Sarah watched as a super-hot golden energy beam roughly 12 feet in diameter blasted millimeters away from Rayu's palms. Heat rolled off the beam as it erupted, and Sarah shielded her eyes as the beam blasted forward.

The beast gave a final cry of pain, but it was cut off as it was completely obliterated. The beam, once it impacted with the demon, quite simply dissipated into nothingness, leaving only a panicked grass Ninja floating in the purple orb. Sarah's knees were shaking from excitement, and Rayu gently smiled. "Great job, Sarah. Thank you."

She nodded and hastily brushed some hair from her face. Rayu then walked over to the man floating in the orb, who seemed to be hyperventilating and panicking. "Listen carefully. If I let you out, you have to promise me you won't do anything but what I tell you. I'm not going to hurt you. Can you promise me that you'll stay here and listen?" Rayu asked calmly, and the man in the bubble nodded slowly.

"I promise." He said, and Rayu held his hands in the sign of the Ram and uttered a word under his breath. "Kai."

The Purple Barrier suddenly disappeared and the Grass Ninja dropped to his feet, unharmed. Rayu cautiously stepped forward and said, "What you experienced, I apologize. I apologize if I injured you, but I had to get rid of the Demon. If you come with us, we'll take you to the Hokage who can help you. Would you like that?"

The man nodded, and he shook slightly. "Yes please."

The man's wounds weren't serious, just scratches, and his shoulders were no longer dislocated. Rayu planned to have Tsunade make the man forget what he experienced, and then go home one last time before going back into active duty tomorrow.

Rayu and Sarah walked with the man in tow towards the Hokage Tower and the man asked, "Who are you people?"

Rayu looked over his shoulder and gave an easy-going smile. "I'm a Konoha Chunin. I was out of active duty until tomorrow, but I guess I'll have to start early. This is my Fiancé, also a Chunin. You kind of came in after I proposed to her."

The man, slightly confused about what he had done anyway, stammered out his congratulations. "That thing that you pulled out…was inside of me? Controlling me?" He asked, and Rayu nodded gravely.

"Yes. It was trying to get to me, I'm afraid. Once you go to the Hokage, all your questions will be answered." He said, and they walked in silence the rest of the way.

Rayu sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he and Sarah walked into the Hokage's office. The Grass Ninja's memories had successfully been altered, and he had taken care of his original purpose. They had already explained what had happened, but Tsunade wanted to talk about something else.

As Rayu and Sarah shut the doors behind them, Tsunade gave a smile. "So, you two are engaged?"

Rayu gave a start, surprised at the bluntness of the question. "Yes Ma'am." Sarah replied, smiling.

"I saw the ring earlier. It's beautiful, and it's perfect, especially for someone with the last name that means a 'fire rose'." She said, and Sarah nodded happily.

Rayu smiled as Tsunade and Sarah started talking about the ring and the wedding plans. It wasn't very often the Ninja married or got into relationships. When they did, it was a huge thing. Most ninja were afraid to get involved, because they never knew if they would survive missions.

Rayu looked at Sarah and smiled slightly, and she was unaware of it. He examined her, lovingly taking in each detail and memorizing it. Sarah finally seemed to feel the pressure of his gaze, and looked back at him. She blushed a little, and his smile grew wider. She was so…perfect. He couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else.

Tsunade and Sarah finally stopped, and Tsunade apologized. "I'm sorry. I got side-tracked. I was originally planning to talk to you about your trip. I sent for Masashi already. He should be here-" She was interrupted as the door opened quickly, smacking Rayu in the back of the head.

Masashi poked his head in as he heard exclamations of pain, and chuckled as he realized he had smacked Rayu in the back of the head. "Oops. Sorry." He said, and stepped into the office. He shut the door behind him, and Rayu glared at him.

"You should be more careful." Rayu muttered, and Masashi shrugged.

"Well, you shouldn't stand in front of opening doors." He replied.

Tsunade gave a chuckle, and so did Sarah. Rayu straightened up from his hunched, pained position, and said, "Well, you showed up right on time, at least."

Masashi turned to Tsunade and asked, "What did you need of me, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade cleared her throat. "The contents of our last conversation has been forbidden to be talked about by anyone unless I give express permission. If the fate of the world rests in your hands, we're going to do our best to keep it secret that you will be bringing back people. There is something else. You will leave tomorrow afternoon, and you'll be accompanied by a number of people to protect you."

Tsunade reached to her desk, grabbed a large stack of files, and handed them to Rayu. "This mission is classified as an 'S' Rank mission, putting you under the protection of every single person in those files. Your life will be the number one priority of this mission. Your protection. If you want, you can lessen the number, but you can have no less than five accompanying people. Masashi is one of them."

Rayu looked down at the files and sat down in one of the chairs that was in front of Tsunade's desk. He scanned the names on the front of each file and was surprised. Along with a name there was a rank and there were five ANBU, two Chunin, and three Jonin.

The names of the ninja that Rayu recognized were: Chomaru Atu, Might Guy, Kakashi Hatake, Sarah Kasairoze, and Masashi Frinizaki. He quickly glanced into the five ANBU names, skills, and stats and quickly put away three of the ANBU. Then he folded his hands and said, "I've chosen."

Tsunade took the remaining files and glanced over the names. "Very well. I will inform them they have been chosen for an 'S' ranked assignment. You'll brief them tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock, then you will get ready and leave by 1:00 in the afternoon. So…that's what was needed. Masashi, you've been selected to go with Rayu. That's all."

Masashi scratched his head and shrugged. It was no big deal to him. "Okay." He said.

Tsunade was about to turn her back, when Rayu felt the urge to tell her, and Sarah and Masashi the full truth. To tell them of his death in two years. "Wait!" He yelled, not meaning to yell.

Tsunade turned around immediately, confused. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"I…I have to tell all of you something that I found out. Something my ancestors told me. It's a prophecy concerning me…and the destruction of the Demon Village." He said, heart racing. He was nervous. Well, that was an understatement. He was beyond nervous. He hadn't told Sarah yet, and at first he hadn't wanted too. He didn't want to have Sarah hear the news, because it would lessen the enjoyment of the next two years. But, she deserved to know, he had decided.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, and then sat behind her desk. "Very well. What does this prophecy say?" She asked, folding her hands. She indicated for Masashi and Sarah to sit, and they did. Rayu remained standing, and he closed his eyes. He visualized an empty room to make it easier to speak.

"My great-great-great Grandfather Ryu Tazamaki was granted with a prophecy that concerned the destruction of the Demon Village. You see, when I attack the Demon Village in two years…I will succeed in my mission." He paused and a smile of relief crept on Tsunade's features.

Rayu opened his eyes, and looked to his left at Sarah. "I will have a son before then, within two years, and Sarah will raise him." Sarah blushed a little and he gave her a soft, sad smile. She smiled back, clearly wondering what was bothering him.

"I...In the battle in two years, I lose a friend. I take five people with me, and I lose one of them. I don't know how, but that's what the prophecy says. Also…the threat of the Demon Village will be destroyed. But how it's destroyed is what I have to tell you, all of you, about." He looked over to Masashi, who was off to his right.

Masashi's face was troubled, obviously wondering if it would be him who died. But then the seriousness in Rayu's voice seemed to reach him, and he locked gazes with Rayu, searching for a clue in his expression.

"You see…I've already come to terms with this, because if I don't do as the prophecy says, the world will die. The fate of the world rests on my shoulders, so I must bear this burden, and it's unfair to have you share the burden. But, I have to let you all know, so that you can be prepared for this if nothing else." Rayu continued, and looked back at Sarah.

His blue eyes locked with hers, and he spoke what he had needed to say all along. "In two years, in the final attack on the Demon Village…I destroy the village and I die. The prophecy says that my son will grow up without a father…and that I won't survive the attack on the Demon Village."

Sarah's face paled, and her jaw dropped. Tears formed in her eyes, and Rayu continued speaking to her. "I…I accept my death happily, because if I die, then everyone will die. My son, my wife, my friends…the entire world will die if I don't. So, in order for the ones I love to continue to live…I have to die. And I accept that."

He turned to Masashi, who had his mouth open in shock. Masashi apparently hadn't expected this. Rayu then turned to Tsunade, whose face was one of disbelief. Everyone was silent, shocked and unsure of what to say or do.

Sarah had known that there was a prophecy about Rayu, but no one had ever said the specifics of the prophecy. She knew that it had talked about Rayu attacking the Demon Village, and she had known that he would eventually. She just hadn't expected to hear that he would die, that he would leave her and his own son behind so that the world could continue on. She stood, without really thinking about it, and wrapped Rayu in a hug. Warm tears spilled down her cheeks, landing on Rayu's neck, and she sobbed quietly.

Masashi had also known about the prophecy, but he had known that Rayu would destroy the Demon Village. He didn't know that Rayu would sacrifice his life so that everyone else could live, and he hadn't known that one of them would die as well. _Will it be me? Or will it be Draken, or Zennith, or Kai?_, He thought, and he stared up at Rayu. Rayu's eyes were closed, tight as if to keep tears from escaping, and the look on his face said it all. Sarah was the reason he would die…gladly and without regret. For Sarah, for his friends and brothers…for his son. Masashi rose as well, and embraced Rayu tightly. Rayu wrapped his arms around both Sarah and Masashi, hugging them to himself tightly as if he couldn't bear to let them go, should he lose them.

Tsunade spoke softly, unsure really of how to address this new discovery. "The future isn't written in stone, Rayu." She said, and Rayu spoke to her without turning to her.

"Yes it is. When it's shown to you in a vision like it was my ancestor, a vision from God, then there is no other alternative. When something is chosen for you, then it's chosen for a reason. I don't regret what I have to do, because it means everyone can go on living…without knowing how close the world is to ending. If everyone, you included, could just live…then my death is worth it." He said, and Tsunade bowed her head slightly.

"Why do you have to attack in two years? Why can't it be more than that? Why can't you attack in ten years? Or in twenty? You'd be more powerful…and so would everyone else! We could live life fuller…and you'd experience everything! We would all be stronger! We could be together longer…" Sarah said, crying. Masashi withdrew, watching as Rayu struggled to find a reply.

Finally, Rayu sighed. He didn't have an answer. "I honestly don't know. The prophecy said that my child would grow up without me and he would never know me…" He looked into her eyes, and his own tears started to well up.

"In two years, I'll be eighteen. I'll be in my prime, the strongest, the fastest I'll ever be. At the peak of my power is when I have to attack, when I'll be able to do the most damage. I guess that's why I have to attack in two years." He said, and Sarah started to say something. Rayu interrupted gently, saying, "Sarah, listen to me please. I want to live with you forever, until we're 80 years old and we have grandchildren. But, these two years that we'll have together…will be the best years of my life. I don't want this to ruin things, I want the next years to be everything to you. I love you, and while I don't want to hurt you…I have to do this. If I don't, then…you and our child will die. No matter what I do, I'll die. I would rather die to save the world than die at the hands of Lucifer as he destroys everything I love. I love you, and nothing will change that, but it's something that has to be done."

Sarah nodded, and she hugged Rayu fiercely. Tsunade spoke, addressing all three of the Chunin. "Show up tomorrow at 8:00 at the classroom number 209. I'll have protective wards put up so that you can brief the ninja guarding you without being overheard or attacked somehow. If you have any maps or visuals to aid in the briefing, bring them early and set them up. Please, do your best to have as good of a day as possible today…" She said. Rayu, Sarah, and Masashi all bowed respectfully.

Rayu and Sarah held hands as they exited the office, and then as soon as the door was shut, Masashi spoke to Rayu. He didn't look at him, he just stated plainly, "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Rayu and Sarah. Try to enjoy your time…" He said, and he walked away.

Rayu and Sarah watched as he walked away, and Sarah whispered, "Rayu…I've decided that the wedding should be as soon as we get back from this mission. We shouldn't waste our time together…" She said, and Rayu nodded. He turned to her and kissed her, his lips gently brushing against her left cheek.

She said as he kissed her again, this time on her right cheek, "I'm sorry I acted like that…what has to be done has to be done, and I won't make things harder for you than they already are."

He kissed her forehead, and he whispered, "It's already forgotten, love. I handled the news much worse than you did. But…let's not dwell on that. You're my fiancé, and today is supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives. Lets enjoy it."

He kissed her on the lips finally, a feather brush that made her smile. "You call that a kiss?" She asked, teasing. She smiled, showing she would enjoy the day.

He grinned playfully back at her. "No. I call that a tease." He said, and then he leaned in and kissed her like he had when he had come back. He put all his passion into it, and she did as well. As they kissed, Rayu couldn't help but think, _This is a little bit of heaven on this earth. Whatever comes, I'll face it gladly…for you._

LOL! ANOTHER MUSHY ENDING! Oh well. ENJOY!!!! Next Chapter will be a GREAT one. Seriously. First will be the briefing and then the squad heading out, and then…I'll press the fast forward on my little author's remote and the resurrection of the Chunin Squad will be at hand! YAAY! And…there's a twist. Something that I doubt you guys will like, but I like throwing stuff in there that no one expects! So, let me know what you think of the chapter! I know it's long…but I was on a roll!


	22. Chapter 22: Return of Team 2!

Okay! Here is the 22nd chapter! It is going to be long, and as I said before: There is going to be a twist in here that I am pretty sure you won't see. Well, unless you can read my mind, but I'll go put on a tin-foil hat to block your mental probes…Hehehe. Sorry. So, enjoy! And, I would love it if people other than HyuugaHotness left reviews. BTW HyuugaHotness: Thanks so much for your reviews. I treasure them greatly! Domo Arrigato!

Naruto: Revelations of the Secret Village

Chapter 22: The Love of a Father

Rayu was awake and walking down the streets of Konoha at 7:30 a.m, carrying two tan folders under his right arm. One folder was full of information on abilities of demons that they were most likely to encounter if they encountered any at all. He listed special abilities, a hand-drawn picture of what they usually looked like, and most importantly the demons' weaknesses and strategies to defeat them.

In the other folder, was the information on his squad mates that were going to be resurrected. It listed all their known abilities, but Rayu knew that they had several that no one knew of. No one but each other. It also listed what fields they specialized in, their mission records, and most importantly…a list of Kekkai Genkai (Bloodline Trait) that Rayu wrote up with his ancestor's help. Each of his squad members had some sort of special genetic ability, even if they didn't know it. He knew that Draken had one, but the others weren't aware of theirs yet. Their Kekkai Genkai made them even more powerful than they already were, and would make the biggest differences in the end battle. He was sure that each of the men he was briefing would realize the importance of his mission and the importance of these Ninja's resurrection.

He was walking to the Academy where he would set up in room 209, and then he would pray for guidance and wisdom in how to deliver his briefing. He was uneasy, having to debrief Kakashi 'Copy Ninja' Hatake, Might Guy, two ANBU, and one of his teammates father's Chomaru Atu. He was nervous about being the 'leader' of this operation. A Chunin…leading three Jonin, two other Chunin, and two ANBU. Talk about pressure.

He slowly made his way to the Academy, and traveled up two flights of stairs to reach classroom 209. It was plain looking, but Rayu knew that there were protective wards in place that would only allow him and his selected troops in. He opened the thick wooden door, and walked into a small and simple room. There was a rectangular table with seven chairs to his left, and to his right was a chalkboard and a metal stand podium, where he would stand.

He quietly placed the folders on the table, organized their contents so that the others could easily see and look at them, and then slumped up against a wall and prayed. He sat, quietly talking to God, and listening for any answers. They could be small audible whispers, a loud booming voice, a vision, or it could be just knowledge of what to do by the leaning or direction of your heart. It was whatever God chose to speak through, and Rayu would listen.

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Sarah was standing at the front of the Academy doors, waiting for Masashi and the other Ninja to arrive. She knew that Rayu was in there, waiting, but she didn't want to interrupt his setup. So, she simply stood facing the bright morning sun, waiting for the others.

She didn't have to wait long for Masashi, because he showed up, five minutes after her, at 7:40. He arrived calmly and coolly, gloved hands in his pants pockets and walking slowly. She smiled as he stood next to her, and he smiled back. "Good morning, Masashi." She said.

"Good morning. I take it he's already in there?" Masashi asked, not needing to clarify who 'he' was. His dark brown eyes met her blue eyes, and she nodded.

"Yeah. He's in there, most likely praying and preparing." She said, and subconsciously played with the engagement ring on her finger. Masashi's eyes immediately picked up the movement, glanced at the ring, and then he grinned. Sarah blushed, stopped fidgeting, and stood still as she realized that he saw the ring.

"So, you're going to get married? Am I invited?" He asked, still smiling.

She nodded and stammered, "Y-yes, you're invited. We're going to have a wedding as soon as we get back from this mission and everyone's resurrected. All of you will be invited and so will your families."

Masashi nodded, and then squinted as he looked around. "The ANBU are here." He said, and Sarah looked around as soon as he said it.

She saw nothing out of the ordinary, but suddenly two ANBU appeared in front of them. The both wore black cloaks that covered their bodies, and all you could see was their masks. One was a bird and the other was a bear of some kind. They both inclined their heads to the surprised Sarah and to the easy-going Masashi, and stood there quietly.

"Well, now we just have to wait for the three Jonin." Said Masashi, and then addressed the ANBU. "So, what are your names? I'm Masashi Frinizaki, and she's Sarah Kasairoze."

The ANBU looked at each other, and then shrugged. "We usually make it a point not to exchange our names, but seeing as we'll be together for roughly a month…we'll tell you." The bird-masked man said.

The bear-masked man spoke first, bowing. "My name is Saheda Kizigame."

Sarah and Masashi both raised their eyebrows in surprise, and Masashi casually said, "I see. So you're one of the Kizigame Clan, one of the stealthiest clans in the Light Village."

The man nodded and bowed yet again, and asked, "Where is the Hikage?"

Sarah spoke, knowing that they would be safe with this new man. "He is the one who we will be protecting on this trip, and he is inside, preparing a briefing."

The bird-masked man bowed slightly to them and said, "I am Korai Uragaki. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

They bowed back, and they were about to ask Saheda how he came to the Leaf Village, but he held up a hand to indicate silence. Masashi looked towards the rising sun, squinting his eyes, and nodded. "Another one of our troop is arriving." He said, and Sarah looked at the arriving figure.

She recognized the intimidating figure of Chomaru Atu immediately. His heavy, muscular body-build, the buzzed black hair and mustached/goatee facial hair, and the Jonin outfit…he looked exactly the same as he had at Rayu's Trials. He walked up to them and bowed, introducing himself. "I'm Chomaru Atu. It's nice to see you again, Sarah and Masashi." He let his gaze linger longer on Masashi, and Sarah knew he was briefly reminded that only Masashi and Rayu survived and his own son was dead. However, he didn't show any emotions. He smiled and said, "We have yet another person coming behind me." His deep voice was calm and soothing, and Sarah felt immediately at ease. He had the gift to be able to calm anyone.

They all looked past Chomaru at the man who was coming. He was an adult male roughly 26 years old, with spiky white/grey hair that was somewhat just brushed lazily up into the air and slanting left. He wore his blue ninja headband in a slant, covering his left eye and leaving only his right eye available. He had a blue skinsuit mask over his lower face so that the only thing you could see of his face was that one eye. He wore the traditional Jonin garb, but he wore black fingerless gloves with protective metal plates on the back. He was walking towards them with his left hand in his blue pants pockets, and in his right hand, he was reading an adult novel named 'Makeout Paradise'. He was the Konoha Copy Ninja, wielder of the Sharingan even though he was not an Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake.

He walked up to them, and greeted them casually. "Yo. Sorry I'm late…a black cat crossed my path and…" He was interrupted as Masashi said, "You're not late."

Kakashi seemed surprised and put away his book. "Really? That is strange. Usually I'm always late…"

Suddenly, there was a strange noise…like some kind of phasing sound and a voice said, "Not late for our ferocious battles, my Rival!"

Suddenly, appearing in the middle of them all out of nowhere…was the green spandex-wearing Jonin Might Guy. He was striking his signature 'thumbs-up and wink' pose, and Kakashi hardly even flinched. Only Sarah and Masashi flinched, but mainly because of the frightening strangeness of a man wearing spandex. Chomaru simply shook his head in disbelief at the grown man.

"All right! My name is Might Guy, the Ferocious Battling Beast of the Hidden Leaf Village!" He said, and everyone quickly exchanged names. Sarah glanced nervously at the door to the academy, and then back to the group. She was getting anxious to get to the briefing…to see Rayu. She started to fidget with her ring again, twisting it on her finger, and Kakashi Hatake glanced at her fidget.

"Is that an engagement ring?" he asked, calmly and coolly as if it was no big deal.

Sarah flushed from embarrassment, and bowed her head. "Yes."

Kakashi, even though you couldn't see his mouth you could tell, smiled softly. "I see. And may I inquire as to whom you're marrying. I'm simply curious."

Masashi spoke for her, because she was embarrassed. "Her fiancé is the one who is briefing us…his name is Rayu Tazamaki."

Saheda gave a small exclamation of surprise and asked, "You're marrying the Hi-mmmpph!" He was silenced by Masashi clapping a hand over the man's mouth. Even though it only touched the mask, Masashi had pressed hard enough to force the mask against the man's mouth.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at Masashi, who quickly removed his hand. "You'll find out in the briefing, not before. As a matter of fact, I think we should head in now." Masashi said, and Kakashi nodded.

"Well still, congratulations. It's not often Ninja marry…" He said, and together they all walked in to head to the debriefing room 209. Chomaru walked beside Sarah and whispered, "I'm happy for you two…you two are perfect for each other. I can tell." He said this without looking at her.

Sarah looked over at him and saw a smile of joy on his face, and it was infectious. She smiled too and blushed. "Thank you, sir." She replied, and they continued to walk, but walked the rest of the way in silence.

---------------

Rayu had no clear absolute direction, but he knew what to say when they all walked in. He stood behind the small metal stand podium, and watched as they all filed in, and he smiled softly as Sarah entered first. Behind her came Chomaru, Masashi, Kakashi, Might Guy, and the two ANBU agents. They all sat in wooden chairs at the table, facing him.

"My name is Rayu Tazamaki, as some of you already know. All you have been told, separate from Sarah and Masashi, is that you have been assigned an 'S' Rank mission…the highest rank. This 'S' Rank mission is top secret, and the fate of the entire world rests on its success." He watched as Might Guy's cheerful face took on a serious scowl, and Kakashi raised his right eyebrow quizzically. He couldn't tell the ANBU's reaction because of their masks. Chomaru raised an eyebrow, but he seemed to know what this was about. Sarah and Masashi kept their faces straight without emotion or reaction.

"Yes, I know it's melodramatic, but it's true. If this mission fails…then everyone is as good as dead. To explain this better, I'm going to have to tell you all classified information…information that has only been told to the Hokage's themselves…but never anyone else." He said this with dead seriousness, and everyone leaned forward. They were all curious, and he wouldn't disappoint them.

"Ever since time began, there have been two villages that were hidden and secret…and have been locked in battle behind the scenes of every event. The Demon Village, which was created to find a way to bring a super-powerful being over to the physical realm from the spiritual realm. This being, Lucifer, is more powerful than anything ever experienced…even more powerful than the Nine-Tailed Fox." Kakashi and Might Guy both flinched visibly, as did the bird-masked ANBU Korai.

"How can that be possible?" Guy asked, and Rayu thought about it for a second.

"Well, you may not believe this, but I can assure you it's true. It may seem too weird…too spectacular or weird…but it is true. You see, there is one God, and only one. We can't comprehend how, but he has no beginning…and no end. He created the Heavens, the Earth, and everything we can perceive. He created Heaven, and created Angels. Angels are mighty beings, and Lucifer was once one of these angels. He was the most beautiful angel, and he became Prideful. He thought he was better than God, who is all-powerful, all knowing, and all seeing.

Lucifer raised a rebellion, raising a third of the Angels against God. God threw them down, sending them out of Heaven where they became twisted beings. Since Lucifer was an angel, he wanted Glory and Power and he envied God, so he did anything he could to subvert the glory of God to himself. He made false religions, false gods, and he twisted us with flowery phrases and he used our thirst for power for his own goal.

Lucifer created the Demon Village, so that he could find a way to come to Earth on the physical realm and raise an army to attack God yet again. If he gets here, then the world's combined forces won't even put a scratch on him." As he said this, the room seemed tense.

"And the other village?" Asked Kakashi. His book was closed and next to him on the table, but forgotten.

"It is my village. I am the Hikage, the leader of the Light Village. My father, my father's father, and so on have been the Hikage's. We were created with a purpose by God to stop the plans of the Demon Village." He said, and Saheda nodded, as did Sarah, Masashi, and Chomaru.

"Where is it located?" Kakashi asked.

Rayu looked at Kakashi's left eye and sighed. "It was destroyed nine years ago…and all the Light Villagers fled and dispersed among the other villages of the world. My father survived until a few months ago, when he was killed…at the same time, my teammates were killed. But…to further confuse you guys…I have to tell you something. You see, I was dead a few days ago. Before that, I had hardly any memory of my village, my family, and my friends. I got my memories, as well as the memories of my ancestors, and I know that my teammates and I are destined to destroy the Demon Village. However, I have to bring them back from the dead first, and your mission is to protect me while I do this."

Kakashi, Guy, even Saheda and Korai all tensed. Bring back the Dead? Was this boy crazy? How could he do that? Only Chomaru, Sarah and Masashi looked like they believed him. Chomaru's eyes were sparkling in anticipation of what Rayu said. He had known Rayu had died and come back, and if that was possible…than maybe bringing back his son was possible too.

Rayu looked at everyone, locking gazes with each of them for a moment. In his gaze was dead-seriousness, and a controlled power, but not insanity. "To make this less confusing…I will give you my memories. It will be disorienting, but you will know everything you need to of my past." He said, and Guy stood.

"What? How is that possible?" He asked, and Rayu closed his eyes. His face drew tight with concentration, and he carefully began to mold his Chakra. He concentrated on his memories, and concentrated on forging crystal-like chakra in his hands that the memories were transferred to. This technique forged by Rayu Tazamaki, his grandfather, was known simply as the Crystal Memory Technique.

Diamonds the size of baseballs appeared in his hands, swirling with blue Chakra like the Rasengan, but the center of each diamond had a golden haze. This was the memory. There was a crystal for each person, including Masashi and Sarah. His Chakra was barely touched by the technique, and Rayu was once again amazed at the new and seemingly endless amount of Chakra he had. He opened his eyes, and saw everyone staring at the diamonds with wide eyes.

"These are my memories. Just hold one in your hand, and close your eyes…and you'll know my past. It's not dangerous at all." Rayu said, and he walked forward and placed the diamonds in the middle of the table so everyone could reach one easily.

Sarah and Masashi immediately reached for one, as did Saheda and Chomaru. Kakashi, Guy, and Korai reached forward as well, but slower. Sarah, Masashi, Chomaru, and Saheda all grasped a crystal and then closed their eyes. They all stiffened, and the other three who reached for the diamonds froze. Then seeing nothing was wrong, they grabbed a diamond and closed their eyes.

They stiffened, and Rayu went back to the podium. They would experience his memories for roughly twenty minutes, and he had nothing to do for that long. His memories included his torture and his teammate's death at the hands of the Demon Possessed Sand Villagers. It then picked up when he got home, where he met Sarah, when he got his seal, his trials, his fight with Masashi, his death…and his endeavors and memories from the seal, and finally…yesterday's proposal to Sarah and the fight with the Grunt.

Rayu ran through his own memories of yesterday, how he and Sarah had relaxed, went back to the park, and lay together under the cherry blossom trees. They had talked about his death only twice, but they spoke of the wedding…of names for their son. They had kissed, they had laughed, they had cried, and they had been together until it got dark. He could not really be fussy about what the Ninja in front of him experienced; he had to let them know what had happened without taking too much time. The only thing that embarrassed him was the fact that they would see some of his intimate moments with Sarah.

He waited for twenty minutes, and right on time everyone opened their eyes and the crystals dissipated. Sarah's eyes were teary, as she was reminded of the prophecy concerning Rayu and his death. Masashi was silent and embarrassed at the moments he had seen and experienced through Rayu's memories. Chomaru's eyes were red, and he was obviously holding back tears of his own. The room was silent as everyone looked at Rayu, and the ANBU removed their masks. Saheda had tears flowing down his face as he realized the sacrifice Rayu would have to make, and Korai had sympathy in his eyes. Might Guy was silent, pale, and he was crying as well. Kakashi had infinite sadness in his eye that showed, but he was silent.

Might Guy was about to stand and lunge at Rayu and wrap him in a big hug, but Kakashi held him back by putting Guy in a head-lock. Guy strained to wrap Rayu in a hug while he cried out, "He's such a noble boy with the Bloom of Youth! His flame shouldn't be extinguished so!"

Rayu stood awkwardly until Kakashi wrestled Guy to his seat, where Guy sat weeping. "As you have all seen, I have to resurrect my team-mates. I have their files with all their stats and levels: Tool usage, Chakra, speed, Jutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, special abilities, and most importantly…their Bloodline Traits."

"How many of them have Kekkai Genkai? The Bloodline Traits?" Kakashi asked, and Rayu tossed his teammates files onto the table. He replied as they slammed onto the table. "All of them."

Kakashi's eye widened, as did Guy's. Saheda knew of the Bloodline Traits, as did Chomaru, only because they had one themselves. Every large clan from the Light Village had one. Sarah even had one she did not know of. Rayu gestured to the files. "Go ahead and look. We were going to take Jonin tests this month…but…" he trailed off, and all of them knew what he was leaving unsaid. 'But…they died.'

Everyone was still slightly shell-shocked as they were adjusting to the memories, realizing what he had gone through. Still, Sarah reached for a folder and opened it. She had withdrawn Draken Tunnanai's folder. She glanced at his stats in amazement, and immediately passed it to the man who would be most amazed by it: Might Guy. As soon as he took the folder, he gasped. Rayu smiled. He knew what Might Guy was shocked about. Draken Tunnanai, a Chunin, could open seven of the Eight Inner Chakra Gates. He could perform all the Lotus moves, and he had a special ability of fast Regeneration that matched the healing powers of a Grunt. This meant: he could use the seven gates and not be crippled for the rest of his life if he used moves extensively. He could probably even use the Eight Gate longer than any other human before he died. His regeneration would hold off the inevitable death for a long time, making him near invincible.

Might Guy, shocked and open-mouthed, passed the file to Kakashi. Kakashi's reaction was noticeably different. He fell out of his chair. He quickly sat back up into his chair, and Rayu chuckled. "Yeah, we're all incredibly strong. I had never pieced together why we were allowed to learn such powerful moves, but now I get it. When we attack the Demon Village, I don't think we'll leave anything standing."

The files were passed around with excitement, and Masashi quickly looked at his brother's file. He looked up at Rayu, down at the file, and back up to Rayu. "It says here that the Frinizaki Kekkai Genkai, my bloodline trait, is a natural immunity to sharp objects. It says I can't be pierced…and I can absorb another person's Chakra through physical contact."

Rayu nodded, and Masashi raised his eyebrows uncertainly. "I don't think I want to find out if I can or can't be pierced by sharp objects…" He said, and Rayu laughed.

After several minutes of swapping folders, everyone had seen the massive powerhouses of Team 2. It was astonishing how strong they were already, at the age of 16. In two years, they would be terrifyingly strong. Strong enough to be possibly earn the title of Kage.

Rayu stood, silent and waiting for everyone to finish, and when they did he spoke. "Now that you know their strengths…you know how important it is to resurrect them. Any questions so far?" He asked.

"Why would we need to protect you if you're already so powerful? I may not be able to read your abilities straight from a file, but I've seen your Squad Assignment Trial tapes, and I know you're extremely strong." Kakashi said, and Rayu felt happy at the compliment.

"I didn't really want any protection…but Tsunade won't chance the fate of the world on my decision. Not that I blame her. You guys might encounter some very fierce enemies if we encounter any at all." Rayu answered, and Kakashi nodded.

"Like a Grunt…or a Possessor." He said, and Rayu nodded. Kakashi continued. "What if we become possessed?" He asked and Rayu smiled.

"Before you entered the room, I placed a seal on the floor, one that has a week long effect of preventing possession. On our way to and from this mission, I will constantly be renewing the protection. For my good as well as yours, obviously." Rayu said, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't felt any effects or seen any seal on the floor.

Rayu grabbed the enemy file and set it on the table, and said, "These will be our enemies if we have any. I have their names, weaknesses, powers, any special abilities."

This time Kakashi grabbed the folder first, and he quickly spread the packets of papers among the occupants of the table. There were six types of Demons…and none of them were pretty. There were the vile, slug-like Possessors, the pig-like Grunts, giant half-man-half-serpent Basilisks, the mutated Werewolves, the Higher-Demon Chamaeleon's, and the Higher-Demon Overlord's. The rule for the demons was like this: The stronger your physical flesh, the weaker your Demonic Powers. The weaker your flesh, the stronger your Demon Powers. The Overlord's and the Chamaeleon's were the physically weakest demons there were, but had power almost beyond comprehension. The Werewolves, Basilisks, and Grunts had the strongest flesh. The Possessors had weak flesh and weak powers, but they could be formidable if they hunted in packs, which they did more and more often the closer to the Village you got.

Everyone read over the folders, and the mood in the room immediately became more sober and less excited. The powers that these demons held…was terrifying. The Grunts, Basilisks and the Werewolves were physically powerful, and possessed abilities like Regeneration, the Ability to kill by eye contact, and Transformation. The Chamaeleon's were able to blend in with their surrounding and strike at you from behind, when you least expect it, with their Demonic and Mental Powers. The only thing that could identify and see through the Chamaeleon's camouflaging was a visual Kekkai Genkai like the Sharingan or the Byakugan, or another type of eye bloodline trait. And, then the Overlord's…the Overlords had their names for a reason. They regenerated almost immediately from most wounds, their mental powers were strong enough to shatter the human mind, and the only thing that could destroy them was a combined attack to overwhelm his regeneration. The only time an overlord had been beaten, was by a Hikage, a strong Ninja of a certain clan, or by a large group of the Light Village ANBU, but the ANBU would sustain heavy casualties.

The mood was thick with discouragement, and Rayu could tell that by the daunting list of abilities the demons held, they did not think their chances of survival were good. Rayu spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "Now, there's one thing that is a strong weapon against the Overlord's and Chamaeleon's. It's a genetic trait, similar to a Kekkai Genkai that is passed down in ONE clan only." Every gaze was locked on him, and he locked eyes with Sarah. "The Kasairoze's were the only clan to ever be able to easily beat an overlord, but only when they know powerful techniques that can break through a Demonic Frontal attack. That is why…the Tazamaki Clan gave the Kasairoze's the knowledge of the Rasengan. If we somehow run into a Chamaeleon or an Overlord, you're the only one who will be able to kill them right out." Kakashi gave a visible start once he heard the word Rasengan.

"Rasengan? My teacher _made _the Rasengan. How can you know it?" He asked.

Rayu looked at Chomaru, who seemed to be remembering Rayu's Rasengan combo that was used on him. He rubbed his head, and Rayu tried not to chuckle. "Actually, the only reason he discovered it, was because my grandfather started research on it. He and my father completed it with research, and sent the information to the Fourth Hokage. They made it so that he had to do research on his own on how to make it work, but we had already made it work. But, your teacher did an excellent job, I hear, on making the Rasengan more powerful than we had." He said, and Kakashi nodded. His teacher had indeed made it very powerful.

"So, who of your village knows the Rasengan?" Kakashi asked, curious as to how wide the technique had spread.

Rayu thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Me, Sarah…and I'm pretty sure that's all. Unless my father or her father taught other people, but I'm pretty sure they haven't." Kakashi nodded, and shrugged.

"Now…lets talk about what we'll be doing. I will be running point, seeing, as I am the only one who knows where they're buried. You all will obviously following me and protecting me, but I don't foresee any problems. The Demon Village won't really know of what we're doing until it's too late unless they have guards or unless we run into a rogue at the gravesite." Rayu said, and everyone leaned in as he leaned forward onto the table.

"Once we get there, it'll be your jobs to create a safe perimeter. Far enough away to give me room but close enough to hear me if I yell and close enough that the others will hear you and come running if you yell." He said, and everyone nodded.

"If any of you know warning seals, seals you place and it's basically a proximity alarm, we could use your skills especially. I will be trying to resurrect my friends, and I think I might need Sarah and Masashi's help doing it." He said, and Sarah and Masashi were surprised. They had thought they would be there for protection, not prayer.

Masashi opened his mouth slightly to speak, but Rayu raised a hand. "If it turns out I don't need you two, though I think I will, you can watch my back while I'm doing it."

He nodded, and still spoke. "That wasn't what I was going to speak about. But, thanks." Rayu nodded sheepishly, and Masashi continued. "I just thought of something. If Zennith was tortured, his bloodline trait of not being able to be pierced should have stopped it. Why didn't it?"

Rayu looked at Masashi and sighed. "I don't really know. I'm guessing they laid down seals that prevented any of our Kekkai Genkai or suppressed them. Or…if you look at my memory of the torture and closely examined it, you'd see something. They used acid first, a lot of it. Then they used their Kunai. My guess is that they maybe they used the acid to eat away a layer of flesh, maybe the layer of protection that protects against piercing for all I know, and then used their kunai on the weakened or damaged spot."

Sarah and Masashi looked pale, and Rayu didn't feel so great himself, thinking of that. Masashi nodded, and Kakashi spoke. "So…this Tannith Sukara, your Jonin Leader…I never met him and you have no file on him. You plan on resurrecting him as well?"

Rayu nodded. "Yes. I don't know too much about my Master Tannith. He's originally from the Village Hidden in the Mist. All I know is that he had the White Secret Bloodline Trait, the ability to mix wind and water elemental Chakra to turn it into ice. He's extremely strong, and I'm surprised he turned down seven to eight opportunities to become an ANBU leader for Konoha."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow, and he nodded. "I see." He seemed lost in thought, and Rayu asked a question that got him excited.

"Do you know someone else who has it?" He addressed Kakashi, and Kakashi shook his head gently.

"I _fought_ against someone who had that…and he was a young boy at the age of 12 or so. He was a genius, and he gave his life for his 'master' Zabuza. He was exceptionally skilled, but he had a kind soul. He could have killed both Sasuke and Naruto, but he didn't. I killed him when he jumped in the way of my attack." Kakashi said, and Rayu read sadness in Kakashi's eye.

Kakashi spoke softly. "I'm sorry, but I'm finding it hard to believe, even with the memories you've supplied…but how can a 15 year old boy be the Hikage of a village? Especially one that you claim has been scattered?"

Rayu nodded as he heard this. It was true…it was hard for him to believe it as well. But, he grinned anyway to put Kakashi at ease. "I'm 16, actually. But, anyway, once my father died, I inherited his mantle. It's a clan destined to be the Hikage's, not by choice." Rayu pulled down the collar of his red shirt, revealing his seal.

Kakashi's eye widened. "I see. But…still. A 16 year old boy being a Kage?"

Naruto shrugged. "You became an ANBU younger than the age of 11." He replied with ease, and Kakashi nodded. It was true.

"It may be difficult for some of you to get…but the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a bunch of 13, 15 and 16 year olds." He grinned, and Kakashi nodded.

Guy extended his right arm, with his hand in the 'thumbs up' position. "I would have it no other way! The bloom of youth will carry you through!" He half-yelled and Kakashi gingerly rubbed his ear. Apparently, Guy had injured Kakashi's eardrum with his excited yell.

"That's all I have…except this." Rayu pulled out seven inventory sheets of necessary supplies. He passed them out to everyone, who nodded as they quickly examined the items listed.

"Meet at the North Gate at 1:00 this afternoon and be ready to move out. I'll be buying food rations for us that will most definitely last us a month or more. Dismissed." Rayu said, and everyone stood. Sarah, Masashi, Chomaru, and Saheda all bowed respectfully to their Hikage and left the room. Guy, Kakashi, and Korai bowed slightly and left as well and they all left Rayu in the room alone.

He collected the papers and files, and quickly organized them. He stacked them neatly on the table, and reached into his jean pockets and withdrew his wallet. His black leather wallet, which held a large amount of money to be spent on this operation, was palm-sized. He opened it, and gazed at a wallet-sized picture of he and his squad together posing. Knowing he was alone, he let tears fall from his eyes. Just remembering the specifics of the torture tore him up, but knowing that they were somewhere out in the wilderness buried in the ground tore him up even more. He backed up to a wall, and slowly slumped to the ground. He gripped his wallet tightly, and started to sob softly.

He didn't hear three people enter, and quietly stand five feet away from him. His sobs shook his entire body, and he knew that he hadn't cried like this for a while. Just being in the Academy, the place where they had been together for the longest time, acted as a magnifier of the feeling of loneliness. He clenched his fists, trying to bring his emotions under control, and ground his teeth in frustration, as it proved futile. Finally, he looked up.

He quickly stood, embarrassed, as he made out the hazy forms of the three people standing in front of him. He quickly wiped away his tears and saw Sarah, Masashi, and the least expected person: Kakashi Hatake.

"I…I…"Rayu quickly tried to find an excuse, but realized he had none, so he didn't speak.

"I came back, Hikage-Dono, to extend my deepest apologies to you for what you experienced at such a young age. I lost my own teammate Obito when I was young, and I know how hard it can be." Kakashi spoke, and Rayu saw genuine sympathy and caring on what little of Kakashi's face he could see.

"Well, thank you, Kakashi-sensei." Rayu said, and sniffled. Rayu was embarrassed, but Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Sensei? You're a Kage, much higher than me in rank." Kakashi stated, and Rayu nodded.

"Yes, but I'm also a Konoha Chunin. So, you're still my superior." Rayu said, and Kakashi nodded.

"I will see you at 1:00 this afternoon, as you specified." Kakashi said as he turned to leave, but stopped and spoke to Sarah.

"It's a hard burden to bear alone, Sarah." Kakashi said, and then left the room.

Rayu stood awkwardly, aware of how exposed and weak he seemed now. Masashi looked at Rayu with a sad expression, and Sarah had tears in her eyes. She walked forward and embraced Rayu. "You're not alone…ever. I'll be here for you through everything. Forever." She whispered, and they laid their heads on each other's shoulders. Sarah held Rayu with all of her strength, giving him the shoulder to cry on that he needed. Rayu continued to sob, and Masashi stood silent at the doorway.

After a few minutes, Rayu settled down and wiped away his tears. Sarah wiped away the tears she had as well, and kissed Rayu chastely on the cheek. He then turned to Masashi and said, "I don't care what it takes, Masashi. I'll bring back your brother."

Masashi nodded and turned away, walking out the door. He shed his tears silently and walked away; knowing Rayu would never stop until he fulfilled his promise.

Rayu, Sarah, and Masashi were the first ones at the gate, early by ten minutes. Guy, then Chomaru, then Kakashi, and then the two ANBU agents appeared. The ANBU were masked and cloaked, but wore a medium-sized backpack that most likely held their necessary supplies in summoning scrolls. The same was with the three Jonin. But Rayu, Sarah, and Masashi had large backpacks, and felt rather stupid for not thinking of the summoning scroll idea.

Rayu examined his troop, and grinned. Kakashi smiled as well, and everyone eventually smiled as well. Rayu was wearing a new outfit…one that he felt was appropriate. He was wearing white pants, black sandal-boots, a white tunic top, and a white silk cloth robe that was the uniform of the Hikage. On the back of the tunic top and the robe, were two symbols. Right between his shoulder blades was a large black stitched Leaf Village Symbol, and right beneath it was the Light Village symbol. The Light Village symbol was like a Capital 'T' with the top horizontal line arched upwards and the arms on the end of the line extended up and out. Around his waist was a Light Village Headband (that he had made using an 'item-crafting jutsu'), and his Leaf Village Headband was tied around his head. He owed allegiances to both Villages, and he wore them proudly. He shifted his black backpack to a more comfortable position, and then addressed his troops.

"Is everyone prepared?" He asked, and everyone nodded and affirmed that they were.

"Good. Let's get going then. We've got a lot of ground to cover." Rayu said, and sprang into the air towards the trees that were familiar to him. His friends and comrades followed, springing into the trees like he was. Together, they leapt from tree branch to tree branch headed towards their destination: Chunin Squad 2's burial ground.

'_Hold on guys…I won't make you wait much longer. Soon, we'll be together again!'_ Rayu thought fiercely, gripped the straps of his backpack tightly. He wouldn't let his friends down. Not again.

A/N: Okay! Here we go! I am pressing the Fast Forward on my Author's Remote! Time will skip ahead, so you're all not bored with the details of a month-long trip. If anyone knows how I make scanned pictures appear on here for you guys to view, please PM me and let me know so I can post pics of the characters and such. It'd be much appreciated if you could. Okay, now onward!

Korai and Saheda, now unmasked, as well as Chomaru, Kakashi, Guy, Sarah, and Masashi were all standing around Rayu who was on the ground. He was on his hands and knees, sweating and groaning and gnashing his teeth. His muscles were clenched, and he was suffering from dry-heaves. They were almost on the site, after 2 weeks and 4 days, maybe only ten minutes away currently from the burial site.

However, Rayu had suddenly stopped, thrown up his lunch, and started to exhibit his current symptoms. Sarah was crouched next to him, making soothing noises and gently running her hand up and down his back. He was shaking violently, and he was in severe pain…but not from his throwing up. Throwing up was a result of the unbearable pain that was suddenly emitted from his scars. Had they removed his shirt, his scars would be bright red, but they could tell from the scars on his cheeks that were red how the others would be.

"Rayu…are they near?" Sarah asked softly, and Rayu nodded weakly. He continued to have his dry-heaves, and Sarah turned to the rest of the group.

"Set up a protective perimeter. Quick." She said, and everyone immediately burst into action. Kakashi raised his headband, revealed his Sharingan, and jumped into the trees with the ANBU, Guy, Chomaru, and Masashi. Sarah was left with Rayu, now holding a Kunai.

Rayu gasped out, "It…it could just…be me being…so near…to nine…deceased demons…it could be…a massive concentrated…area…of demonic…spirits and presences…"

Sarah nodded, and quickly initiated a Jutsu she had learned from Rayu on the way here. _Bird, Ram, Dog, Dragon, Snake, Ram, Hare!_, she thought, and her hands flew through the symbols accordingly. She had closed her eyes, and now she opened her eyes. Her eyes were golden, like with the Divine Separation, but she said aloud, "Divine Sight Jutsu."

She quickly searched the area, looking for any presences, and she was stunned. Just within two feet were two Possessors, gnashing their teeth in frustration at not being able to possess the troops around them. She shivered, and quickly deactivated the Jutsu, properly known as a Doujutsu, and said, "There's two possessors right by us."

Rayu nodded shakily, and then molded a small amount of chakra and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Be gone." His voice rang with authority, even in his weakened state, and the verbal exorcism technique was activated.

Sarah initiated the Divine Sight Jutsu, and saw the Possessors fleeing. She deactivated it, and Rayu asked, "Did it work?"

She nodded, and then called out, "Okay! Come back! There's no physical threat!"

As if on cue, everyone appeared by them, and Kakashi covered his Sharingan again. "Okay then. What's wrong?" Asked Chomaru, and Sarah explained.

"Apparently, there's a lot of demonic activity near here. Probably the same possessors that possessed the Sand Ninja and once their hosts were killed…they stuck around here. Kinda like ghosts. Since these were the demons that inflicted the scars on Rayu, he's extra-sensitive to them." She said, and everyone nodded.

Rayu stood, swaying, and said, "We need to renew the seals on you, just in case."

Everyone had gone through this procedure twice a week, just in case somehow the seal failed after a few days. They couldn't risk being possessed when they were so close. Everyone lined up, and Rayu flew through hand seals and made glowing white seals underneath each of them. Within a few minutes, everyone's protection was renewed, and Rayu's strength had significantly returned.

"Okay. We're almost there." He said, and started to walk forward.

Masashi spoke up, clearly curious. "How can you tell? What landmarks are you going by?"

Rayu kept a straight face and walked forwards. As he passed a tree, he spoke softly and pointed at it. "That's how."

Everyone looked at the tree, and noticed ropes…ropes stained red. On the far side of the tree was a bleach-white skeleton at whose feet lay a Sand Village headband. Everyone visibly paled, and continued to walk after Rayu. There was one of the ninja who had tortured him under the influence and control of a Possessor.

Rayu walked forward, and within two minutes, they found seven out of nine Sand Ninja, most missing bones thanks to wild animals. What you could tell is that they had been brutally beaten, savagely destroyed by Rayu. What was left of them was broken and shattered, fist indentations obvious on places of the skull and other areas. Everyone was silent, and the trip took a gloomy, silent, and sad attitude. For Rayu, it was repentant, because he had killed men that were not under their own control, men who were possessed and not responsible for their actions. It made him feel so…vile.

Sarah seemed to know what he was thinking, so she put a hand on his shoulder for support, and he gave her a sad small smile of thanks. They walked onward and eventually found all nine of the Sand Ninja's skeletons. Rayu stopped at the last one, and started to shake. Everyone watched him with concern as he ground his teeth and clenched his fists while putting them at his side. He lowered his head, and shadows obscured his eyes. Sarah hesitantly stepped forward and placed her hand once more on Rayu's shoulder and she felt how tense he was. His whole body seemed as hard as a rock because of all the muscles being clenched.

"Rayu?" Sarah asked, and she saw a tear fall down his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Rayu didn't look at them, but he growled out between his clenched teeth. "I killed…a father. Look at his ring finger."

Sarah looked, and saw a single gold wedding band on his ring finger on his left hand. The golden ring was hanging loosely on the bone, and Sarah realized why Rayu was acting as he was. Somewhere, there was a wife…maybe children, who would never get to see their father. The wife would never know what happened to her husband.

"Rayu…you couldn't have known. Not back then." She said.

"I _should have_ remembered! I had the knowledge in my mind but I didn't…I couldn't remember." Rayu whispered.

"Ninja kill without second thought…that's what we are trained to do. However, once you realize that these enemy ninja are people…men and women and children who led their own lives and had their own families and friends…you begin to realize how stupid humanity is. You realize…that everyone you've killed was like you. That's why you try not to kill, not unless necessary. We ninja are supposed to be mindless killing machines…but we can't be. We're human…we're people too." Kakashi said softly.

Rayu nodded, and turned away from the dead man. He walked away, towards the direction he knew that his friends lie in. Everyone followed him, and Rayu noticed that the pain was picking up again. The Possessors were most likely hanging around the graves of the fallen Ninja, and the closer they got the more pain Rayu would feel.

"Sarah. Prepare the Divine Sight. We need to know what's near. I'm hoping it's nothing but Possessors, but still." He said, not stopping or even turning to her. It was taking all his concentration to keep walking without succumbing to the pain.

Sarah did as he said, forming the seals, and activating the Doujutsu. Her golden eyes scanned their surroundings, searching for any signs of demons. She saw nothing, until they reached a clearing with four boulders. Hanging around the boulders were ten Possessors, snarling at shimmering silver images sitting on the boulders. The shimmering images were Rayu's squad, their spirits refusing to move on. They looked as if they were sleeping, and not paying any attention to the Possessors.

Rayu rasped out, "All the Possessors are here, right?"

Sarah nodded and Rayu spoke again. "I'll walk forward. Guy, Kakashi, Korai, Saheda, and Chomaru…set up a defensive perimeter. You might run into a Grunt or two. Be careful."

Everyone nodded and jumped off, leaving Sarah speechless with Masashi and Rayu. Rayu made a gesture that indicated Masashi and Sarah stay where they were. Rayu approached the headstones, and knelt in front of them. Sarah gasped when all four spirits that were sitting on the boulders seemed to wake. Their eyes snapped open, and they sat straighter. "Guys…I'm back. I'm…I'm so sorry." Rayu sobbed out, and Sarah saw each of the squad-members look at him with shock. They obviously had hoped he would come back, but none of them had actually really believed it.

"Rayu?" They all whispered. They jumped off their boulders, still ignoring the Possessors around them.

Since Rayu couldn't see them or hear them, he continued to cry. Sarah watched as Tannith knelt by him, and whispered, "He's wearing the true robe of a Hikage. He's remembered, and my guess is…he has his ancestor's knowledge. He seems complete now. He's our Hikage." Sarah watched as the spirit Tannith embraced Rayu. Rayu was sensitive to the supernatural, but he still couldn't see them. He sensed something though.

He looked back at Sarah, and the ghosts followed his gaze. "Sarah…are they here? Are they near me?"

Zennith fell to his knees, seeing his younger brother. "Masashi! He's alive!"

Tannith spoke, "That's not all. That girl's using the Divine Sight…she can see and hear us. Can't you, 'Sarah'?"

She nodded, and said, "Yes, I can hear and see you guys. And yes Rayu, they're all here."

Masashi smiled and said to the empty air, "Zennith, you big dork. Where are you?"

Zennith bolted to his feet, and stomped over to his brother. "I've been worried sick about you, wondering where your spirit is hanging around, and you're calling me a dork?" He yelled, and Sarah resisted the urge to laugh.

Sarah repeated what Zennith was shouting, and Masashi laughed. "Of course. Yep, you're here. Coolsey." Masashi said, and the four spirits sweat-dropped.

"Coolsey…he knows we hate that word." The biggest spirit said. Kai Atu, walking over to Rayu, continued. "He's gonna resurrect us, right girl?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes…he's going to resurrect you. He has to. Not to mention…I'm not 'girl'. I'm Sarah Kasairoze, you dumb Atu."

Kai made a face that said, _WHAT?_ "My apologies. So you're Sarah. Okay then. Well…uh…I apologize."

Draken, who had been silent until now, spoke. "Sarah…tell Rayu to hurry up. We're not alone. There's Possessors everywhere."

Sarah nodded. "He knows. The scars that were inflicted on him…they're extremely sensitive to demonic presences. He's in extreme pain right now, even if you can't tell. He's just dealing with it. But, Rayu, can you do something about the Possessors?"

Rayu nodded, and stood. He performed three hand-seals. "Monkey, Tiger, Snake…Divine Exorcism Flash!" Spiritual Energy build up inside of Rayu, and then was expelled similar to the Light Bomb. The Possessors were blasted away, but the four friends stayed, obviously wowed at the display.

"Sarah…I'm getting the feeling I have to use Jutsu…one that I don't know." Rayu said softly, and Sarah nodded. "A resurrection Jutsu? Usually they require sacrifice…but yours didn't."

Draken held up a hand. "Wait…he died?" He asked.

Sarah nodded. "Masashi killed him, when he was under the control of a possessor."

Masashi cringed. "Yeah…that was a mistake."

Draken only raised an eyebrow. "Okay then. Well, get on with the stuff."

Sarah nodded. "He says to 'get on with the stuff'."

Rayu nodded, smiling. "Hold on. I'll ask dad what to do."

He closed his eyes, and then a second later he opened his eyes again. "Okay. Well, I need to pray."

He immediately knelt, and closed his eyes. Masashi unslung his backpack, and Sarah did as well. This might take a while.

Twenty minutes had passed, and the four Spirits, Sarah, and Masashi had spoken for every single minute. They had whispered, and Sarah had told them everything she knew so far. Well, the condensed version of everything that had happened. While they were talking, the Possessors had returned, but maintained a safe distance.

Rayu finally stood, a firm and resolved look on his face. "Okay. I've got the answer."

The four spirits, and Rayu's current two live companions all stood. Sarah spoke for all of them. "What's the answer?" She asked.

'This." Rayu said, and turned to the graves. He spoke to the spirits he couldn't see and said, "Each of you lay down on your graves please."

The spirits complied, and lay down in front of the boulders. Rayu walked over to the first grave on the left: Zennith Frinizaki's. He knelt at Zennith's feet, and started his hand seals. His hands moved fast, faster than he had moved before. His hands were literally a blur and she was sure no one without a special Doujutsu like the Sharingan would have been able to distinguish the seals.

It took nearly one minute straight, even with Rayu's speed. "_Faith Resurrection Technique_(Faith Resurrection Jutsu)!" He finally yelled, and slammed his hand downward onto Zennith's spirit's chest. Instead of passing through like normal, it impacted with Zennith's chest and stopped there. Rayu's hand glowed red, as if was extremely heated from within, and Zennith's spirit soon became the same glow. The spirit sank below the ground, and Rayu's hand withdrew itself as Zennith disappeared.

"His spirit is sealed in his body, but his body won't activate and live until I do all of you…and say the activation word." Rayu said, and went to the next grave. He performed the same technique on his comrade's spirits, and it took a total of five minutes. He was sweating when he was done, because even his massive amount of Chakra was being drained by at least 50. It was hard.

He stood, and backed away from the graves, and Sarah watched with wary eyes, as the Possessors seemed to realize what was happening. They were hissing, spitting, growling, and inching forwards. "Rayu…the Possessors." She said, and he nodded.

"I know. However, I can't perform two Jutsu at once with the strain I'm under. I'll have to do this quick." He said, and Sarah noticed that he was sweating heavily. His skin was pale, and he was shaking slightly. It must have been more difficult than he was letting on.

Rayu brought his hands together in the seal of the Ram, and started to mold his internal soul energy, his Chakra. He let a small groan of pain escape his lips as the massive amount of pent up Chakra threatened to burst out of his body by force. _Not yet! It's not done!_ He thought. He gritted his teeth and continued to build up his Chakra. His hands glowed with the ghostly blue flames of Chakra, and he started to shake under the strain of holding in the power. His Chakra finally melded with the Jutsu techniques, making it complete, and he yelled the release word. The word burst from his lips, fueled by such a massive amount of Chakra it became a wild and dangerous physical wind that ripped through the forest for miles.

"JESUS!" He screamed, and his whole body unleashed his pent up Chakra. Kakashi, Guy, Chomaru, Korai, and Saheda all braced themselves as the Chakra and wind buffeted their bodies. They were maybe twenty yards apart from Rayu and each other forming a circle.

The dirt mounds at the base of each boulder exploded outwards, and four bodies levitated out of their graves. They were limp, but the wind seemed to carry them out of their graves and breathe life into their bodies. They floated in the storm, completely untouched. Their forms were perfect, as if they had never been tortured. They floated into upright positions, and their eyes snapped open. The wind died as suddenly as it had come, and the four Resurrected ninja dropped to the ground.

They landed easily, but Rayu fell to his knees and panted. His Chakra, even at its inhuman amount, was heavily strained by the technique. Tannith, Kai, Zennith, and Draken walked forwards and helped him up. They each were the same way Sarah had seen them in the pictures. Masashi stepped forwards as well, and stood with his comrades and brother.

Tannith spoke first. "Hikage…Rayu…thank you. You are definitely your father's son."

Draken, Kai, Zennith, Masashi, Rayu, and Tannith all embraced, and Sarah felt tears welling up in her eyes as she watched the brothers reunited. Suddenly though, Tannith straightened and backed off. He cast a look around and said, "There are others here. There's danger."

The boys nodded, and Rayu quickly ran to his backpack. He fished out a scroll, and quickly opened it and flung it to the ground. A puff of smoke enveloped it, and a moment later, Kai Atu's sword lay on the ground in front of them. "I brought yours from your house, Kai." Rayu explained, and Kai walked over to his massive sword. It was almost as big as the 5' 11" boy, and Sarah was surprised as he easily hefted it into the air.

"Thanks. Now, Tannith-sensei, where's the danger?" He asked, and swung his sword experimentally.

Sarah saw it. It was the Possessors. They were in a frenzy, angry and full of hatred. They were giving off an aura of hate so strong that Sarah almost fell to her knees. A possessor charged, aiming to latch onto Rayu and possess him. "RAYU!" Sarah yelled, and tried to run at him and push him out of the way. However, something beat her to it. Tannith Sukara stood with his back exposed while shielding Rayu. The demon shrieked in delight and plunged itself into Tannith's body. Rayu knew what was happening, and he yelled, "No!"

The three revived boys and Masashi immediately sprang backwards from Tannith, and Sarah backed away as well. Rayu formed five hand seals and yelled, "Spiritual Devastation!" The same kind of flash emitted from Rayu as the Divine Exorcism Flash, only on the spiritual plane, and it destroyed the remaining possessors…except for the one shielded by its human host.

Tannith twitched, and then raised his head. "Sorry…Can't fight back. He's strong…most likely experienced. He has anchored…and I'm losing. Don't bother holding back. Destroy me…destroy him as well. I'm ready to die. Even if I just came back, I'm just glad you have your memory. You're strong enough to do what I was charged to teach you. To destroy the Demon Village, my lord Hikage."

Rayu was the only one who hadn't sprung away from Tannith. He was standing there, gazing into his leader's eyes. "We can remove him, Tannith. Fight a bit longer." He pleaded, and looked quickly at Sarah. He wanted her to do the Divine Separation. She was about to when Tannith backhanded Rayu, sending him flying a good forty feet away.

"Rayu!" She screamed, and the Chunin Squad Team 2 quickly assumed ready positions. She watched in awe as Rayu's teammates defended him, jumping in front of him to provide a shield. Draken Tunnanai loosened his arm bandages preparing for his attacks and placed his arms in front of him in an 'X'. "Tannith…we're sorry if we hurt you. We'll have to pin you long enough to remove the demon." Draken said.

Masashi and Zennith stood side by side, both of them assuming their style: Boxer Style. Kai held his sword in his right hand, and two throwing stars in his left. Rayu stood wearily and said, "Tannith. I won't let you die again. I failed last time, but I won't fail again."

He joined his friends in the line and assumed his Swift Fist stance. Tannith started to shake, and Sarah backed a good twenty feet away. The Possessor was winning, and taking control. "Draken…open three gates and attack with me. Kai, Masashi, and Zennith…your job is to somehow find a way to pin Tannith long enough to do the Divine Separation. Draken, first off, use your Genjutsu while we have time." Rayu ordered. There was no doubt he knew he was the leader of this attack.

Sarah watched as Draken formed a few hand seals and then yelled, "Genjutsu: The Bringer of Darkness!"

Tannith, still battling with the demon, was glad to see they were thinking. His sense of sight suddenly went black. He was blind, literally trapped in a world with no light. He was surrounded by darkness, effectively stopping him from seeing where the attacks came from and unable to see any surroundings. "Good…ah!...good job boys. Do it now!" Tannith yelled, and started to shake more. He could feel the Demon's consciousness overriding his own and suppressing him, and he knew he couldn't last long. However, what he could do, was take his memories with him, lock away tactical information so that the Demon didn't know any of the boys' most powerful maneuvers and didn't know how to use Tannith's instant kill moves.

Draken then went back to his previous stance, arms crossed in front of him. He glared and closed his eyes and said slowly, "First Gate: Gate of Opening, release. Second Gate: Gate of Energy, release." As soon as the word 'release' was spoken, a pillar of air and energy surrounded Draken, blowing upwards. His brown ponytail whipped around, and his clothes flowed around his body. He hunched over a bit, shielding his face, but Sarah saw something that disturbed her. His skin was changing from olive brown…to a reddish-brown, and veins on his face were starting to bulge. He spoke the next phrase softly, but everyone could hear it, as suddenly the forest grew as quiet as a tomb. The only sound was the sharp hissing of energy and Draken's whisper. "Third Gate: Gate of Life…release."

Sarah took a step back as Blue Chakra flames rose off his body, and it took a green tint. The wind picked up, and the pillar of wind and energy suddenly increased like a mini-tornado. Rayu closed his eyes, and Sarah could see that his seal was glowing gold. He was activating his seal.

Rayu softly spoke one word that set off their explosive actions, and Sarah missed most of their actions. Only Kai, Masashi, Zennith and Kakashi could see. Kakashi was observing, his Sharingan revealed in case he had to help protect. He had heard Sarah's scream, and had come running. He was amazed at what he saw. His Sharingan had trouble seeing everything, but he was amazed at the power of the boys.

As soon as the word 'go' had left Rayu's lips, Draken had charged…faster than the human eye could track. The ground cracked and exploded with the force of Draken's chakra, and Rayu went at the same speed but without the ground exploding. Tannith had no chance to dodge as he was still battling internally. Not that it would have made a difference if he weren't.

Draken and Rayu both grabbed a fistful of the Jonin Leader's vest, and rocketed forwards, dragging him between them. They slammed him into a tree, immediately anchoring him. Kakashi's Sharingan picked up a flux in Tannith's power, and it rocketed. '_He's lost.'_ Kakashi thought, and shook his head as he watched in amazement.

Tannith chuckled, or rather, the demon chuckled through Tannith, and hissed, "Rayu…how nice to be able to kill you again."

Rayu's eyes widened and so did Draken's. Faster than Kakashi's eye could track, Tannith escaped Draken's grip and pulled out his kunai. He sunk it into Rayu's chest causing a shriek to erupt from Sarah. Kakashi immediately realized something that hadn't been registered to his Sharingan. It was a Shadow clone…or more precisely, an actual Rayu, but weaker. It was…amazing.

The Fake Rayu grinned, and then simply shimmered out of existence, causing the kunai to fall to the ground. Draken grinned, and his red skin cast a hellish glare onto his face. "Gotcha." Draken said, and his voice sounded like four different people talking at once.

Out of nowhere five Rayu's appeared, each wielding a Rasengan. Kakashi's eyes widened as he watched four Rayu's slam their Rasengan into Tannith, launching him airborne and then disappear. _'KageBunshin! (Shadow clones)'_ Kakashi thought.

The real Rayu disappeared, but then reappeared above the still soaring Tannith. He slammed his Rasengan into Tannith's head, and the Jonin spun and flailed downwards onto the ground. His impact shook the ground, and Kakashi watched in amazement as Draken immediately jumped into the air, grabbed Rayu, and then zoomed back to Kai. "Kai! Do the technique now!" Rayu ordered, and Kai dropped his sword. He grabbed Rayu by the back of his robe in his right hand, and Draken by the back of his vest in his left. He hefted them as Tannith's possessed body rose with difficulty, and spun several times. "Alright! Don't hurt him too much! Just give us enough time to lock him down!" Kai yelled as he spun, and then released the two and flung them at Tannith.

Draken and Rayu yelled, "Ultimate Taijutsu: Twin Cannons!" as they spun in the air towards Tannith. Draken flew feet first, and Rayu flew fist-first. They spun like mini-tornados, and each of them landed solid hits on the center of Tannith's chest. Tannith flew backwards, and then slammed back into the tree they had pinned him just a few moments earlier.

Tannith coughed up blood, and Kai shouted, "Masashi, Zennith! Double Sand Coffins!"

Zennith and Masashi nodded and reached into their pouches attached to the back of their belts. "Frinizaki Combo! Sand Coffin Restraints!" They yelled in unison, and flung a fistful of sand into the air. Kakashi watched in wonder as they performed a jutsu that had been described as being a signature Jutsu of Gaara of the Desert. The sand particles homed onto the stunned form of Tannith. They multiplied and spread once they touched Tannith's body and formed a double layer Sand Coffin. Tannith spat and cursed, and the Frinizaki brothers formed the seal of the Tiger and concentrated on the sand. The sand solidified, just as Sarah had seen happen when Masashi attacked the ANBU in town weeks and weeks ago.

Draken closed his inner gates, and slumped to the ground in pain, and Rayu turned to Sarah. "Now!" He yelled.

Sarah nodded and dashed forwards over the broken ground, towards the struggling form of Tannith. She formed the hand seals as she rushed forwards, and stopped a few feet from Tannith. She was about to initiate it when the Sand Coffin Restraints shattered, and Tannith lunged at her. His hand wrapped around her throat, and she immediately grabbed his wrists to try and pull his hand away. She couldn't. He was too strong.

Tannith froze, his eyes frozen on the ring that still decorated her ring finger. The red light in the pupils faded and Tannith resurfaced. His grip slackened, and she pulled out of it. "You're going to be married?" He asked, disbelieving. This newfound knowledge strengthened his fighting spirit, momentarily pushing the demon down.

Sarah coughed out, "Yes. When we get back."

Tannith's confusion cleared and he smiled. "Rayu's lucky. But…quickly now. Hurry and kill me. This Possessor…I've trapped him momentarily but I've seen his memories. He's old…strong…and he won't let go no matter what. You'll have to kill me. There's no other way. I'm sorry boys." He turned to the five boys, and gave a sad smile.

"I'll say this again…I love you boys like the sons I've never had. You're all wonderful. Make me proud." He said, and Rayu shook his head.

"NO." Rayu said, forcefully. He was denying the farewell. "We'll remove him. We can do it!" He yelled, and Kai nodded.

"Nothing's impossible." Kai's deep voice confirmed. Draken stood, fully revitalized now due to his regenerative abilities. He yelled, "We're not giving up! We'll remove it…even if I have to go Eight Gates!"

Tannith shook his head, smiling softly. "No…listen to me for once. You boys will have to kill me. Please. I'm ready to go. Even if you somehow managed to remove him, my life has been completed already. Please, just finish it."

Sarah watched Rayu as he struggled to fight the inevitable, and she knew he wouldn't accept it. He was too stubborn. Tannith knew this as well, and sighed. "Please just listen for once." Then, he was gone and replaced by the demon once more.

"Too LATE!" He crowed victoriously, and Kai lunged forward. He had picked up his sword and thrust it at Tannith, but Tannith moved aside. The sword missed by a fraction of an inch, and then Tannith yanked the sword from Kai's grasp and flung it away. It embedded itself into a tree a few yards away.

Rayu acted faster than anyone could follow, even faster than the Sharingan could catch. Rayu held Tannith in a Nelson, and Tannith smirked, but when he quickly tried to escape, he found himself held by not one Rayu, but twenty-one Rayu's. Each of them had a kunai out, except for the one who held him in a Nelson. They all spoke, as one, and Sarah knew he was using the Verbal Exorcism Jutsu.

"Leave him! Leave us! Go back where you came from, in Jesus' name!" They yelled in unison, and Tannith suddenly went rigid. The clones puffed into non-existence, and then Tannith…splattered apart. He was a water clone, and he fell into nonexistence: simply a puddle of water.

The only Rayu left, the real one, asked in disbelief, "What?"

Suddenly, Zennith and Masashi both cried out in pain and disbelief as Tannith threw them forwards. They collided with Kai and Draken, stunning each of them for a moment. That moment was all Tannith needed. Rayu, confused, turned towards Tannith and was surprised to find Tannith a mere millimeter from him. Tannith stabbed Rayu, with strength that rendered the seal's protection virtually useless, in his left shoulder near his heart. He gasped in shock, and then Tannith threw him backwards into the tree that Tannith himself had occupied a mere minute earlier. Blood gushed from the wound, and Sarah quickly jumped into the fray. She formed a Rasengan, and Tannith was too intent on watching the bloody wound for that split second she needed. He whirled when he heard her, but he was not fast enough to dodge her Rasengan. She slammed it into his chest, and he went flying and spinning backwards, away from them all.

Rayu gasped and fell to the forest floor, pulling out the bloody kunai. He put his right hand into a fist and raised the first two fingers, performing half of the seal of the Tiger. He closed his eyes and then opened them a split second later. Sarah was standing above him, anxiously pressing against the wound to staunch the blood flow. "It's okay. I have built up a Chakra wall to block any more blood from flowing out. I'm fine." He reassured her, and she nodded. Draken, Zennith, Masashi, and Kai all formed a protective half-circle facing their possessed instructor. He was on the ground, struggling to get up. "I think I heard a loud snapping noise when he hit the tree. I think you might have broken his back." Kai said softly, and Sarah nodded.

Rayu looked over into the trees to his left and spoke normally. "Kakashi." He said, obviously telling the hidden Jonin to appear.

Kakashi leapt from the tree, and said, "Yes, Hikage-Dono?" His Sharingan was revealed, and the kids were surprised to see it.

Draken, Kai, Zennith, and Masashi all were surprised to see Kakashi but they kept their questions for later. Rayu addressed the Sharingan-wielder, and asked, "Can you tell if his back is broken?"

Kakashi glanced at Tannith and shook his head. "I can see it, but it's not broken. It's offset, which is why he's struggling so much. I'm surprised that the Possessor increased his toughness so much. Anyone else would have been broken in half after that kind of collision."

Rayu nodded, and stood. "Gather the rest of the group. Create a surprise attack from behind and overwhelm him. We'll keep him distracted until then." He said, and Kakashi nodded. Kakashi knew that Rayu had charged them with overwhelming him…because he knew neither he nor his friends would be able to bring themselves to truly hurt Tannith. Kakashi leapt off into the trees, disappearing before Tannith noticed him.

Tannith was spitting and cursing, uttering foul phrases aimed at Sarah. Rayu was pale, obviously shaken, but strong. "Guys, make him think he has the upper hand. Demons are naturally arrogant, so he'll be easier to fool. Tannith seems to have locked away most of our tactical information and skill, otherwise the Demon would have tried to kill us right off the bat. He thinks we're weak, and he doesn't know the full extent of his host's abilities. We should be fine…"he paused and cast a sly look at the now standing possessed instructor. He raised his voice slightly, just enough to let the sound carry slightly over to Tannith and enough to inform the team of his intention. "As long as he doesn't discover he can use the Demon Ice Mirrors."

The Demon grinned sinisterly, and the group of teens set themselves in an attack formation. "Fools! I'll destroy you yet. It will be a pleasure to kill you all again…but especially the female. Wouldn't you like to know what I'm going to do to her?" The Possessor yelled, and his look and body language conveyed what he hadn't said.

Sarah paled, and Rayu flushed angrily. "Okay…Masashi, Zennith. Ultimate Burial." Rayu ordered, and the two boys obeyed. Zennith, who was on Rayu's left, and Masashi, who was on Rayu's right, formed identical hand seals and yelled in unison, "Frinizaki Ultimate Burial!"

The grass beneath all of them swayed and rippled with an invisible wind, and Tannith's face screwed up in a look of confusion. Zennith and Masashi were concentrating, eyes clenched shut, and Rayu and his other friends were ready to defend the boys if Tannith attacked. "What the heck kind of move is this?" Tannith rasped out.

"A move of doom!" Draken yelled, vigorously pumping his fist up in down in victory. He was a little caught up in the moment.

Tannith took two steps forwards, preparing to attack, but froze when he heard a sound. _Ssssss-ssss-sss!_, came the sound, sanding like a thousand snakes hissing. Tannith looked down, and saw the dirt coming alive under his feet, starting from in front of Masashi and Zennith. They were pulling all the dust, sand and dirt up into a 35-foot wave. Both of them were sweating with the effort of erecting the wall quickly before Tannith could react, and their Chakra was being depleted fast. This move was usually a last-resort.

"Oh, sh-" Tannith started to say, as the wave of dirt and sand crested at its height, and suddenly crashed down on him. He tried to move, but the wave was too high and wide. It caught him in mid-jump, slamming him back to earth and covering him in an avalanche of sand.

The sand blasted forwards, away from the Frinizaki brothers, and stilled after a few moments. The boys breathed heavily, and Rayu murmured, "Good Job. Next…Kai."

Kai nodded, and adjusted his Leaf Headband for a moment. He then held his hand at his side, in a half Tiger sign. "Let me know when." He said, and Rayu nodded back.

Rayu activated the Future-seeing portion of his seal, and timed the movements he saw. "Okay…now!" He yelled, and Kai jumped into the air. Tannith burst up out of the sand, bloody from a few scratches.

"DOTON: Earth Rising Pillar!" Kai roared, and slammed his fist into the 5 1/2 foot deep sand. The Sand exploded up and forward at the moment of impact, and became a giant lance of hardened sand that shot at Tannith. Several other pillars erupted beside the existing one, and Tannith's eyes widened as he jumped up into the air, just barely dodging the attack.

Tannith gripped the water casks at his hips while in midair, and Rayu knew what was coming. The casks were full still, full from the day Tannith died. This would enable him to use the Demonic Ice Mirrors. Here it came.

Rayu ordered Kai to come back to the group, which Kai obeyed. When Tannith landed, he quickly flipped off the lids of the water and flung the casks forwards. He made a few hand seals, as the water was cast everywhere, and yelled, "White Secret Jutsu: Demonic Ice Mirrors!"

Rayu and his friends watched in wonder as a large dome of ice mirrors surrounded them, making it impossible to escape. The mirrors gave off a chill, and they shivered. "Now you die, brats!" yelled Tannith.

Tannith appeared on one of the mirrors, snickering and laughing at what he thought would be the Ninja's demise. "Fools. None of you will survive this." He hissed.

Rayu smiled. Tannith knew something was wrong, and looked desperately for a sign of a threat. Then, suddenly, the air became compressed around a person in the middle of the group. It became a furious jet, blasting up and around him, blue chakra becoming visible once more and glowing slightly green. Rayu yelled, "Guys, move!"

Kai, Masashi, Zennith, Sarah, and Rayu sprang outwards and away from Draken right as he roared, "Gate Three: open! Gate Four: Open! Gate Five: OPEN!" His skin turned a reddish brown, and the veins on his neck and forehead stood out. The air heated up, and his Chakra was so powerful, the mirrors already started to vibrate and crack. He seemed to shimmer with power, and almost like he was moving constantly at a speed the human eye couldn't track even though he was standing still. Finally, he yelled with a yell that sounded like all hell itself broke loose he yelled, "Gate Six: Gate of Viewing OPEN!"

Tannith's eyes were wide with horror as he realized he had been duped, but it was too late. Kai, Masashi, Zennith, Sarah, and Rayu squeezed out of the Ice Mirror dome and just in time. Draken exploded into action, not visible to the human eye. He felt Chakra overflowing, giving him unrestrained power. He attacked all the mirrors almost at the same time, and with the slightest hit they shattered into millions of pieces. He then went after the possessed Tannith, who just barely made it out of the mirror before it was shattered. All Tannith experienced was what felt like a rocket exploding on his back, and he went flying forwards, screaming in pain. All Draken had done, was jump forwards and push him. As soon as that was accomplished, Draken closed all the gates he had opened and collapsed to the ground.

Tannith flew forwards at incredible speeds, but flew straight into the arms of the Jonin Chomaru Atu. Chomaru was braced, ready for a killer of an impact, and was still knocked off his feet. However, he wrapped Tannith up in a bear hug, squeezing hard as they went flying. When they landed, Chomaru made sure they landed _on_ Tannith. Tannith's breath was knocked out of him, and that's when the other's made their moves.

Chomaru stood, and Might Guy helped hold Tannith. Kakashi whipped out a scroll and quickly slit his finger with his Kunai and spread his blood on the scroll. He performed four hand signs, holding the scroll at the same time. Tiger, Snake, Dragon, Dog! He slammed the scroll into the ground and yelled, "Earth Style: Fanged Pursuit Jutsu!"

Out of the ground, beneath Tannith, erupted a pack of five dogs. Each one attached itself to one of Tannith's arms and legs, and the fifth dog was a massive Bulldog that bit into the back of Tannith's neck and held him there. Tannith screamed in pain, and then the two ANBU agents appeared. They bound him, using some kind of Chakra-enhanced chain, and fused the chains into the ground. He wouldn't be going anywhere.

Tannith screamed, and Rayu closed his eyes. He was helping Masashi and Zennith to lift Draken between them so they could support him, and he saw Kai smile at his father. Chomaru had tears in his eyes and smiled, but he didn't let go of Tannith. Sarah walked over to Tannith, who was weeping, cursing, and gnashing his teeth. For all his power, he couldn't break free. He would die.

"I will leave him! I will, just let me live!" Screamed the possessor, and Rayu walked up to him.

He molded his Chakra and performed the verbal exorcism technique. "In Jesus' name, leave him!" He yelled, and everyone could feel the authority and power in the words.

Tannith went rigid, but the pupils in his eyes stayed red. Rayu looked at it closely and asked in disbelief, "What? It should have worked!"

He looked to Sarah, indicating she should try the Divine Separation, but Sarah looked away. She shook her head and said, "Rayu…who are we to deny Tannith's wish? If he wants to die…why not let him? I'm not going to be the one who forced him to live a life he no longer wants to."

Rayu froze and felt a sharp, emotional pain. Betrayal. That's what he felt. He turned from Sarah, angry, and quickly consulted his ancestors. None of them would give him the knowledge necessary to complete it. They sided with Sarah. Rayu snapped back to reality, angry, and glared at Tannith. "Let me speak to my master…and I might let you live."

Tannith nodded slightly, and the red in the pupils disappeared. "Rayu…what are you doing?" Tannith asked, anguish visible on his face.

Rayu was surprised. "I…I'm trying to keep you alive!" Rayu took a step forward, unsure of why his teacher was asking him.

"Why? Didn't I tell you…that my time is finished? I'm done living, Rayu! Let me die!" He said, and blood dripped out of the corner of his mouth.

"But…you have more years ahead of you!" Rayu replied, and he felt an unbearable sadness start to manifest.

"No…my years are done. I've told you that." Tannith said, and everyone was silent and still. Kai, Draken, Masashi and Zennith were standing still and watching sadly as their Mentor made his final appearance. They knew they would never see him again.

Rayu started to protest. "But, you're young! You can have a fam-" "NO! Listen to me, Rayu! For once, don't let your stubbornness get in the way and listen to me! I…I am done here. Finish me, then finish the demon. Now. That's my last order to you, as your leader." Tannith interrupted, and he looked at Chomaru.

"Chomaru…if Rayu won't…you'll have to." Tannith said, but Chomaru shook his head. "I can't. I'm not strong enough to obliterate you and then the demon. My Chakra isn't like Rayu's."

Tannith looked at Rayu, and said, "You have to. Now."

Rayu looked dumbfounded, not wanting to believe this or even consider what he was being ordered to do. Tannith started shaking, and Rayu knew immediately the Demon knew death was coming. "He's….taking control!" Tannith gasped, and with a final glace at Rayu, he screamed.

Tannith's pupils blazed a bloody red, and with one hand he made a sign. All the pieces of ice and the puddles of water on the ground from the shattered Demon Ice Mirrors liquidified, then solidified into thousands of needles and homed in on the people holding Tannith captive. Everyone leapt into the air, and the dogs disappeared in a puff of smoke. That small moment was all Tannith needed. Desperation fueled the Demon now, and his enhanced body rocketed towards Sarah.

Rayu jumped in front of Tannith, quickly initiating a Swift Fist attack. Tannith simply redirected the blows away from his body and threw Rayu aside like a rag doll. Rayu crashed into a tree, felt something snap in his back, and fell to the ground, only able to watch. Draken was second fastest and jumped in front of Tannith, aiming a kick at his opponents head. Tannith dropped low, and then brought up his elbow to hit Draken where his legs joined. Draken dropped, and Tannith kicked him with enough force to send him flying. He rolled and tumbled away, beaten. Kai jumped in next, trying to tackle Tannith. Tannith neatly sidestepped and clipped Kai on the back of the neck, promptly knocking him down. Zennith and Masashi threw Shuriken when they jumped in to protect Sarah, which Tannith dodged with ease. While Zennith performed a flying kick and Masashi performed a low sweep kick, Tannith simply dove between their attack and flung them away roughly. They rolled to a stop next to Rayu, dazed. The whole chain had taken three seconds. The ANBU and the three Jonin darted towards Tannith, kunai and shuriken drawn and ready.

Tannith didn't bother looking back. He charged forwards still, aiming for Sarah. Sarah's eyes showed no fear. She simply swung her right arm forwards, one that had been slightly hidden behind her body. In her outstretched hand, was a Rasengan. Tannith ran straight into it, face-first. He had no time to even scream as he was flung backwards.

Rayu, on the ground, saw the trajectory of Tannith's flight and screamed. Tannith flew backwards…and with a sick slicing noise, was impaled on Kai's sword which was still embedded into the tree back. Their fight had circled back to that spot, and now Tannith gaped in shock at the wound. The wide blade practically cleaved him in half, severing his spine and sticking at least three feet out of his gut. The blade was 6 inches wide, and that six-inch wide blade occupied most of his upper torso. Blood flowed from Tannith's mouth, and he gurgled out his shock. Rayu tried to raise his hand, but couldn't, regardless of how hard he tried. _'What? Why can't I raise my hand?_' He thought, but stared in horror as Tannith's head drooped and his invisible life force…his soul, left his body.

Rayu knew what had to be done. "Kakashi, quickly form the hand signs I yell!"

Kakashi complied, and Rayu yelled, "Ram, Tiger, Snake, Dragon, Bird!"

Kakashi's hands flew threw the hand signs, and Rayu yelled, ""Spiritual Devastation Jutsu!"

Kakashi felt his Chakra soar out of his body, a very large amount of Chakra, and he knew that it had worked. The Jutsu killed the Possessor, wiping it from existence. He looked around as Draken, Kai, Masashi and Zennith picked themselves up off the ground in shock. Everyone was silent, staring at the corpse of the Jonin Leader, and Kakashi looked specifically at Sarah.

Sarah was standing in shock, completely still. Tears were streaming down from her eyes, staring at the man she had just killed. She was pale, trembling, and she looked like she was going to be sick. Kakashi lowered his headband, covering his Sharingan, and walked over to her. "You did what had to be done…" He said, and then moved aside as the boys walked past him to Tannith's corpse.

Kai fell to his knees in front of his teacher, eyes wide in shock. Zennith and Masashi leaned on each other, tears welling in their eyes. Draken, was on his hands and knees, hands clawed and scraping the ground. Tears flowed from his face, and he yelled, "NO! DANG IT!"

Sarah shakily looked at them, and then turned and saw the Jonin and ANBU standing respectfully off to the side. They were silent, and Chomaru was weeping openly. Saheda looked at her, sadness etched on his features, and then Sarah realized that Rayu was still lying on the ground.

She turned to him, and walked over. He was face down on the forest's grassy ground, and his head was turned towards Tannith. He was crying, tears flowing from his face. His chest was shaking with the force of his sobs, but other than that…there was no movement from his body. She knelt by him, and whispered, "Rayu?"

He moved his eyes, looking at her, but still let the tears flow. She hesitantly wiped away his tears and said, "I'm sorry. I…I just reacted."

He blinked and said, "I know…I know. You did what I couldn't have done, though. He's happy now…believe it or not."

She nodded, and moved her red hair out of her face. She was unsure of why Rayu was still laying on the ground, when she heard Kakashi make a surprised noise. His Sharingan was revealed, and he was looking at Rayu. "What is it, Kakashi-sensei?" She asked, and he lowered his headband and covered his eye again.

The boys at Tannith's corpse looked over, curious as to what was wrong now. Kakashi walked over slowly, and knelt down beside Sarah and Rayu. "Rayu…your back." Was all he said, and Rayu blinked.

"Yeah…I can't move anything. I can't even feel anything lower than my shoulders. My arms…won't respond." Rayu said, and Kakashi nodded.

The boys of Squad 2 ran over, demanding to know what was wrong, and Kakashi sighed. This wasn't good. Rayu spoke, simply stating what he knew for fact now. He spoke calmly, neither panicked nor hurried. "My back…it's broken." He said, and everyone stared in horror as his words struck them like a physical blow. Rayu repeated softly, more to get himself to accept this fact than for his friends.

"My back is broken." He whispered, and Sarah stared at him with renewed tears in her eyes.

She whispered, "Oh my God.", and then leaned over Rayu and cried.

Well, how's that for an ending? I hope you enjoyed this EXTREMELY LONG CHAPTER! My brain was on overdrive, and I didn't want to end the chapter too soon. It's a bit of reading, but I have faith in you guys. ;) So, stay tuned for the next chapter…or else. DUM DUM DUM!


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